THE CRIMINAL CODE-1930-A guy named Robert Graham (Philips Holmes) accidentally kills a drunk who got fresh with his date Gertrude (Mary Doran). He's sentenced to 10 years in prison. 6 years later, his cellmates are the aging Jim (Otto Hoffman) and the vengeful Galloway (Boris Karloff) who plans on killing "a squealer". The prison gets a new warden Mike Brady (Walter Huston), the DA who sent Graham (and many of the other prisoners) to jail. When the prison doctor tells the warden Graham needs a change of environment, Brady makes him chauffeur for his daughter Mary (Constance Cummings) (and Galloway becomes their butler) which seems to rehabilitate him. Meanwhile Jim plans prison break and is killed. The prisoners plan a diversion so Galloway can kill Runch (Clark Marshall), the inmate who squealed. Graham was an eyewitness but refuses to talk and is put in solitary. Then Mary admits she in love with Graham. In the end Galloway exonerates Graham and gets his revenge on prison guard Gleason (Dewitt Jennings).
Howard Hawks directed this gritty violent crime drama that was based on a successful play. It also features an early standout role by pre-Frankenstein monster Boris Karloff (he was also in the West Coast stage version) but despite good reviews fame eluded him...until the next year....
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