I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

Based on the true story of Robert E Burns, Mervyn LeRoy’s film tells the story of Sgt James Allen a WWI veteran unwittingly caught up in a robbery and wrongly sentenced to 10 years in a brutal chain gang. After Allen escapes he becomes a successful businessman but has trouble keeping his secret. The film’s powerful critique of the US legal system stirred controversy on its release (it was banned in Georgia) and inspired the appeals and subsequent release of numerous chain gang prisoners across the United States. Beautifully paced with strong central performances, I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG has lost none of its power.