Each Dawn I Die (1939)

Each Dawn I Die
Directed by William Keighley
Written by Norman Reilly Raine and Warren Duff from the novel by Jerome Odlum
1939/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing; Netflix rental

[box] Frank Ross: I’ll get out if I hafta kill every screw in the joint![/box]

This is an OK prison film with the always enjoyable James Cagney in the lead.

Crusading journalist Frank Ross (Cagney) is framed by corrupt officials for vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to one to twenty years.  Frank’s reporter friends work on the outside to prove his innocence.  The prison is a hell hole of sadistic guards. Early on Frank becomes friendly with gangster “Hood” Stacey (George Raft).  Frank is a believer in following the rules but eventually gets so fed up that he assists Stacey with an escape attempt so that Stacey can help find the truth on the outside.  With George Bancroft as the warden.

This is pretty standard prison film fare but entertaining.  There are a couple of good scenes where Cagney cracks up reminiscent of White Heat.

Re-release trailer