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      20,000 Years in Sing Sing

      1933 1h 21m Drama List
      Reviews 60% 250+ Ratings Audience Score Hardened criminal Tommy Connors (Spencer Tracy) enters Sing Sing prison convinced that his reputation and some bribery through his lawyer, Joe Finn (Louis Calhern), will control warden Paul Long (Arthur Byron). But Long rejects the bribe and insists that Connors accept his role as just another convict. After initial hostility, Connors knuckles under, and over time wins Long's trust. However, when his girlfriend, Fay (Bette Davis), is gravely injured by Finn, his reformation is put to the test. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      Steve D I found the entire story really frustrating. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/29/24 Full Review deke p Interesting because it was made in 1932, and the dialog refers to years almost a century ago ... 1926. A lot of it was kind of hokey, but that's part of the charm of it. For one thing, jailers walking around with ties better be wearing clip-ons if they don't want to get choked. And policemen as well as the warden and jailers seemed dangerously casual and vulnerable to prisoner attack. Unreal. And I would think a Warden just deciding to let dangerous criminals take a vacation from prison, on their honor, is unreal, were it not for California and other states being very lenient lettig prisoners out.Spencer TRACY still looked like an adult, even i 1933. And BETTE DAVIS looked young and very attractive. It reminded me of the very old movie ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES, starring Jimmy CAGNEY, playing a prisoner in similar circumstances. I'm giving it 2 1/2 Stars because its very Old (therefore a 'classic), but by todays standards should be much lower. Glad i finally I finally saw it (on late night TV 11.17.2019) Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review bill t Pretty good jailtime movie here featuring Spencer Tracy spending time in Sing Sing, then getting a break from a warden so he can see his dying girlfriend. Actually quite formulatic in the first half, then dives into way implausible in the second, but still fun to see Tracy and Davis on screen together. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member A decent prison drama. Starts well enough: a hard-bitten criminal slowly fits into prison life. You see his transformation and think of all the possibilities for the plot beyond that. However, the direction the plot then takes is a tad implausible, idealistic and trite. Turns out its all about honour. Not necessarily a bad theme, but is handled fairly clumsily here. Ending just seemed unnecessary. No, I'm not saying all endings should be a happy, typically-Hollywood, one, but this just seems...contrived. Solid performances by Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis and Arthur Byron. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Justice ain't always blind An anxious hoodlum is assigned to Sing Sing prison. He thinks he can break the system but the warden quickly reforms the hoodlum's thought process until they're eventually on the same page. When the warden discovers the hoodlum's girlfriend has been diagnosed with a terminal disease, he allows the hoodlum to visit his girlfriend. Shortly after seeing his girlfriend, crime ensues and the warden isn't so sure he made the right decision. "You're pretty smart when you wanna be." "Not too smart or I wouldn't be in here." Michael Curtiz, director of White Christmas, Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, The Adventures of Robin Hood, We're No Angels, The Vagabond King, Yankee Doodle Dandee, and Doctor X, delivers 20,000 Years in Sing Sing. The storyline for this picture is just okay; however, the character development and delivery of the hoodlum and warden is magnificent. The cast delivers remarkable performances and includes Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Lyle Talbot, Arthur Byron, and Louis Calhern. "Asking for an airplane would be like sitting right down in the electric chair." I DVR'd this movie during a recent Spencer Tracy marathon. I am a moderate Spencer Tracy fan but I bigger Michael Curtiz fan. I will say Tracy and Byron played off each other perfectly in this movie and Curtiz delivers a solid pace and feel. Overall, this is an above average picture that is a solid mix of the prison and gangster genres. "Happy days are here again." Grade: B- Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Considering the film is 80 years old, a fine production. Spencer Tracy is in high form along with a very young and pretty Bette Davis. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      20,000 Years in Sing Sing

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis Hardened criminal Tommy Connors (Spencer Tracy) enters Sing Sing prison convinced that his reputation and some bribery through his lawyer, Joe Finn (Louis Calhern), will control warden Paul Long (Arthur Byron). But Long rejects the bribe and insists that Connors accept his role as just another convict. After initial hostility, Connors knuckles under, and over time wins Long's trust. However, when his girlfriend, Fay (Bette Davis), is gravely injured by Finn, his reformation is put to the test.
      Director
      Michael Curtiz
      Production Co
      Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (DVD)
      Aug 4, 2009
      Runtime
      1h 21m