"The Criminal Code" is best remembered as having given Boris Karloff his first substantial role, a role which lead to his casting as the Frankenstein's monster a year later.
The story centers around two main characters, Mark Brady (Walter Huston) and young Robert Graham (Phillips Holmes). Graham is arrested for killing, albeit accidentally, a man who had been harassing him in a speak easy. Graham is brought before District Attorney Brady who informs him that he must pay the price. Brady has the charge reduced to manslaughter and Graham is sentence to 10 years in prison.
Fast forward six years. Brady has just lost his attempt to become governor and has been appointed as warden of the prison (you guessed it) where Graham is incarcerated along with several others whom Brady had convicted while serving as D. A. Graham in the intervening years, has become unglued and is on the verge of losing it.
Brady on the prison doctor's advice, takes pity on him and allows Graham to serve as his chauffeur. As kit happens, Brady has a comely young daughter Mary (Constance Cummings in her first role). An attraction builds between the two.
In the prison, a prison break is planned. One of Graham's cell mates is involved. Unfortunately, the cell mate is killed in the attempt due to an informer. The informer is not targeted by the prisoners. Graham's other cell mate Galloway (Karloff) is given the task of carrying out the killing of the rat. Galloway, it seems, also has an "appointment" with brutal Prison Guard Captain Gleason (Dewitt Jennings) who had turned Galloway in earlier.
Galloway drugs housekeeper Kate (Ethel Wales) and sneaks into Brady's office while he is called away. Graham, who was told to wait there leaves the office as the murder is committed. When Brady and Graham both return and the body is discovered, Graham sticking to the prison code, refuses to name the killer and is placed in solitary. Mary pleads hkis case with her father. Galloway decides its time to keep his "appointment" with Gleason and.................................................
Walter Huston dominates the film as he usually did, as the ambitious Brady. Holmes makes a sympathetic circumstantial Graham and Cummings makes an impressive debut as the daughter in the unlikely situation of living inside a prison. Karloff, who had been around films since 1919 finally gets a role worthy of his considerable talent and the rest as they say was history. Look for a slim and very young Andy Devine as a convict and veteran bad guy Bob Kortman as the prison barber.
The story centers around two main characters, Mark Brady (Walter Huston) and young Robert Graham (Phillips Holmes). Graham is arrested for killing, albeit accidentally, a man who had been harassing him in a speak easy. Graham is brought before District Attorney Brady who informs him that he must pay the price. Brady has the charge reduced to manslaughter and Graham is sentence to 10 years in prison.
Fast forward six years. Brady has just lost his attempt to become governor and has been appointed as warden of the prison (you guessed it) where Graham is incarcerated along with several others whom Brady had convicted while serving as D. A. Graham in the intervening years, has become unglued and is on the verge of losing it.
Brady on the prison doctor's advice, takes pity on him and allows Graham to serve as his chauffeur. As kit happens, Brady has a comely young daughter Mary (Constance Cummings in her first role). An attraction builds between the two.
In the prison, a prison break is planned. One of Graham's cell mates is involved. Unfortunately, the cell mate is killed in the attempt due to an informer. The informer is not targeted by the prisoners. Graham's other cell mate Galloway (Karloff) is given the task of carrying out the killing of the rat. Galloway, it seems, also has an "appointment" with brutal Prison Guard Captain Gleason (Dewitt Jennings) who had turned Galloway in earlier.
Galloway drugs housekeeper Kate (Ethel Wales) and sneaks into Brady's office while he is called away. Graham, who was told to wait there leaves the office as the murder is committed. When Brady and Graham both return and the body is discovered, Graham sticking to the prison code, refuses to name the killer and is placed in solitary. Mary pleads hkis case with her father. Galloway decides its time to keep his "appointment" with Gleason and.................................................
Walter Huston dominates the film as he usually did, as the ambitious Brady. Holmes makes a sympathetic circumstantial Graham and Cummings makes an impressive debut as the daughter in the unlikely situation of living inside a prison. Karloff, who had been around films since 1919 finally gets a role worthy of his considerable talent and the rest as they say was history. Look for a slim and very young Andy Devine as a convict and veteran bad guy Bob Kortman as the prison barber.