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Each Dawn I Die
One of my favourite movies starring one my favourite movie stars James Cagney this prison drama has the charismatic Cagney joined by real life hood turned movie star George Raft. This movie is less known than Cagney’s great four movies; The Public enemy, The Roaring twenties, Angels with dirty faces and White Heat. It is a film that has the lot; Unjust imprisonment, murder, snithches, brutal gaurds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ2bvo5S6Y4
Here's the story:
When Frank Ross played by Cagney, reporter for the Bantom newspaper, exposes the DA's corruption he is framed on a drunk driving charge. Knocked unconscious and doused with alcohol, Ross is placed in a moving car, and when the car crashes into another vehicle and kills three people, he is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to prison. There, Ross meets Stacey,played by real life bad boy George Raft, a notorious racketeer who is serving a life term, and the two become friends. Stacey makes a deal with Ross to implicate him in a prison killing, which would then be tried at the county courthouse where his mob can free him. In return, Stacey promises to track down the man who framed Ross.
The break is a success, but Stacey feels betrayed when Ross tips off his reporter friends about the escape, and so refuses to help Ross. As Ross is sentenced to the "hole", his sweetheart makes Stacey realise that Ross kept his word, so winning Stacey's sympathy . In the hole, Ross becomes embittered at the brutality of the guards and lack of justice, but on hearing pleas on his behalf the warden agrees to recommend him for parole. However, the parole board is headed by the DA's man who denies the reporter his freedom.
Meanwhile, Stacey discovers that Polecat Carlisle, the man hired to frame Ross, is in prison, and to repay his debt to Ross, Stacey returns to prison to find Polecat. During an abortive jail break, Stacey forces Polecat to confess to Ross's crime in front of the warden. Stacey dies in the break attempt, but Ross lives to be exonerated and to see the real criminals indicted.
A triumph of good over evil the old fashoioned way with Cagney and Raft on top form.
Labels:
Cagney