STATE PENITENTIARY – 1950 This one is a low-budget cheapie from the Columbia Pictures B unit. The film stars Warner Baxter.
Baxter plays an aircraft builder who is sent up river for embezzling $400,000 from his own company. His 5 year bit is to be spent in the Nevada State Pen. Baxter claims he innocent of the crime and was set up by someone.
Of course "everyone' sent up tells the same story and neither the warden, Leo Carey or his cell-mates, Richard Benedict and Brett King believe him. Every couple of weeks he is paid a visit by Police Detective, Onslow Stevens. Stevens tells him to cough up the cash and get out of jail earlier. Stevens does not believe Baxter's innocence tale either.
The only thing that keeps Baxter sane, is the once a month, visit from his wife, Karin Booth. Booth believes in Baxter and has an idea on who the real crook is. She is sure that Baxter's former partner, Robert Shayne is the real culprit, and she intends to prove it.
Without telling husband Baxter about her suspicions, Booth flies to Florida and looks up Shayne. The two are soon an item and are featured in the local newspapers. Detective Stevens take particular pleasure in showing Baxter these articles. "Tell us where you hid the money. You'll get time off and can go stop your wife." Baxter is forced by several of the other inmates, Benedict, King and John Hart to help in a prison break. The attempt fails and everyone but Baxter is tossed in solitary. This does not sit well with all the other inmates. They smell a rat and give Baxter a right curb-stomping. Baxter survives but needs 3 weeks in the hospital to recover. While recovering, Baxter hears from Detective Stevens that Booth plans on divorcing him in order to marry Shayne. Now Baxter is really upset. He has also decided that Shayne must have stolen the company funds.
When released from the hospital, Baxter pulls the same escape plan as the others had tried. He is however successful in his bid for the outside. He spends several weeks hitching rides and riding the rails to get to Florida. He is less than a mile from his goal when Detective Stevens puts the grab on him. Stevens has been waiting for Baxter to show. "Back to Nevada you go!" Baxter begs Stevens to let him confront Shayne. "I'm sure you will find the money there." Stevens goes along with the idea and they drive over to Shayne's house. As it so happens, Baxter's wife, Karin Booth, has picked the same time to confront Shayne about the cash. She has only been swapping spit and doing some couch wrestling with Shayne in order to find the cash. The swine Shayne had the money buried in his greenhouse.
Baxter and Stevens pull up just as Booth and Stevens are struggling over a revolver. Doors are kicked and shots exchanged with Shayne receiving some extra ventilation. The money is returned, Baxter gets out of jail and is soon in Booth's arms again.
This is not a world-beater by any means. It is slow in bits and relies on the narrator (Carey) to keep the pace going. The film was the last role for longtime Hollywood actor, Warner Baxter. Baxter was the highest paid male film actor at one (1936) time, He is however best know as the lead in the Crime Doctor series of B-films.
The director is the prolific Lew Landers. In 1942 alone, Landers helmed 12 films. His noir include, POWER OF THE WHISTLER, CRIME INC, ARSON SQUAD, THE MASK OF DIIJON, INNER SANCTUM, REVENUE AGENT, THE CRUEL TOWER and MAN IN THE DARK.
The story is by Henry Edward Helseth. Helseth wrote the stories for ONE WAY TICKET, OUTSIDE THE WALL and CRY OF THE CITY (novel).
The d of p was longtime serial cinematographer, Ira H Morgan. Morgan also worked on, WHEN STRANGERS MARRY and REVENUE AGENT.
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