Hell's Highway

WarnerBrothersclassicIAmAFugitiveFromAChainGangcomingfromabiggerstudioasitdidovershadowedRKO'sHell'sHighway.That'sapitybecausethefactthatthetwofilmscameoutaroundthesametimerobbedthisoneoftheattentionitdeserves.<br/>　　RichardDixandTomBrownplaytheEllisBrothers,apairofconvictsinasouthernstateprisonofunknownname.Dixisahardenedconvict,aliferwho'sabouttohaveitmadeofficialbecausehewasconvictedofhisfourthoffenseandfallsunderthehabitualcriminalact.<br/>　　DixhasaheroworshipingyoungerbrotherinBrownwhogetshimselftossedintheslambecausehedecidestoeventhescoreforDixbyshootingsomeonewhorattedhisbrotherout.Dumbkid,he'sluckyhemissedotherwiseitwouldbeaverylongstretch.<br/>　　AsinIAmaFugitiveFromaChangGangtheemphasisisonthehorribleconditionsintheseprisons,theyareeverybitasgruesomeastheyareintheWarnerBrothersfilm.Thehighlightofthefilmisamassescapewhentheentirecompoundgoesupinakerosenefire.EventhoughtheseguysareinthereforGodknowswhat,yoursympathiesarewiththemasthelocalpopulacegoesonahuntingexpeditionfortheconvicts.It'slikeeveryoneparticipatinginLeslieBanks'ssportofhuntingTheMostDangerousGamewhichalsocameoutthatyearbyRKO.<br/>　　IwaspleasantlysurprisedbythedepthsofRichardDix'sperformance.Usuallyhe'saprettystraightarrowheroinhisfilminaclassicVictorianerastyleofacting.HisparthereisthebestworkI'veeverseenhimdo,thoughIcanhonestlysayIhaven'tseenthatmanyofhisfilms.<br/>　　You'llseegoodperformancesalsobyStanleyFieldsastheheadguardandbyCharlesMiddleton,thephilosophicalbigamistinthejointforthesame.