The Prisoner of Shark Island

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The Prisoner of Shark Island

Released Feb 12, 1936

1h 35m

History

Drama

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89%

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9 Reviews

70%

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250+ Ratings

Dr. Samuel Mudd (Warner Baxter) is arrested for being an accomplice to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln (Frank McGlynn Sr.) when he unknowingly aids an injured John Wilkes Booth (Francis McDonald) following the shooting at Ford's Theater. He's sentenced to life in prison and sent to a treacherous penal colony on a remote island in the Dry Tortugas. But when yellow fever breaks out on the island and strikes the prison's doctor, Mudd's medical training becomes invaluable.

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Frank S. Nugent

New York Times

Fact can be stranger than fiction, but occasionally fiction gets there first. [The Prisoner of Shark Island] may be accurate historically, but it still reads like a typical Hollywood scenario.

Apr 16, 2024

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Abel Green

Variety

The Prisoner of Shark Island Is a production, histrionic and technical credit, to all concerned. Werner Baxter [gives] perhaps his top acting performance.

Apr 16, 2024

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Cinelandia Staff

Cinelandia

A dramatic and painful film that shows us a new Warner Baxter. [Full review in Spanish]

Apr 16, 2024

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Gus McCarthy

Motion Picture Herald (Exhibitors Herald)

The picture is one that took courage to make.

Apr 16, 2024

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P.S. Harrison

Harrison's Reports

Despite its somber theme, this is a forceful melodrama ; it grips the spectator, and holds his attention throughout.

Apr 16, 2024

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Film Daily Staff

The Film Daily

Emotionally moving, suspenseful and acted with conviction by a good cast, especially Warner Baxter in the title role.

Apr 16, 2024

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Ed M

Good movie, but they take liberties with historical facts.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/08/18

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Jon C

Prisoner of Shark Island is an early John Ford film giving an only roughly accurate version of the story of Dr. Samuel Mudd, who treated John Wilkes Booth for the injuries he sustained in assassinating Lincoln, was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment as part of the assassination conspiracy, and was later exonerated. The film is well done and tautly directed, though it also occasionally displays Ford's typical weaknesses of sentimentality, stereotyping, and low humor. Warner Baxter (probably best remembered today for 42nd Street) does a creditable job as Mudd, and John Carradine is a standout as a sadistic prison guard. Though generally minor Ford, the piece does have a few good set pieces, such as the portrait of Lincoln ordering the band to play "Dixie" as a token of reconciliation, and the grim scenes of the trial and execution of the conspirators. All in all, generally worth watching still today, and certainly a film that serious students of Ford's work will want to see. Advisory: the film's treatment of African-Americans, while clearly well intentioned, is likely to strike today's viewers as stereotyped and patronizing.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/09/17

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Audience Member

Dirigida con un buen pulso , esta es una pelicula que no decae en ningun momento gracias al maesto John Ford.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Audience Member

An exciting well told story of Dr. Samuel Mudd a man wrongfully accused for aiding John Wilkes Booth just after her assassinated Abraham Lincoln. He is sent to a prison in the Gulf of Mexico called Shark Island. The story is an interesting one & despite the injustice he goes through he remains a moral man. Mudd was played Warner Baxter who did a wonderful job with his role. John Ford truly was an incredible director & this is a great film of perseverance & struggle & victory.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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Audience Member

Despite its attempts, this movie is--for the most part--very boring. Probably my least favorite John Ford film I've seen. (Though it still looked great.)

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

Really strange prison film about a man accused of plotting to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. Very cinematic-looking - especially for the era in which it was made.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

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John Ford

Director

Warner Baxter

Dr. Samuel Mudd

Gloria Stuart

Mrs. Peggy Mudd

Claude Gillingwater Sr.

Col. Jeremiah Milford Dyer

Arthur Byron

Mr. Erickson

O.P. Heggie

Dr. MacIntyre

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Synopsis

Dr. Samuel Mudd (Warner Baxter) is arrested for being an accomplice to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln (Frank McGlynn Sr.) when he unknowingly aids an injured John Wilkes Booth (Francis McDonald) following the shooting at Ford's Theater. He's sentenced to life in prison and sent to a treacherous penal colony on a remote island in the Dry Tortugas. But when yellow fever breaks out on the island and strikes the prison's doctor, Mudd's medical training becomes invaluable.

Director: John Ford
Screenwriter: Nunnally Johnson
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 12, 1936, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2013
Runtime: 1h 35m

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