Fourteen years of Sing-Sing
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Fourteen years of Sing-Sing |
| Original title | I walk alone |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1947 |
| length | 93 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Byron Haskin |
| script | Charles Snow |
| production | Hal B. Wallis |
| music | Victor Young |
| camera | Leo Tover |
| cut | Arthur P. Schmidt |
| occupation | |
| |
Fourteen Years of Sing-Sing (alternative title: The Dead Years ) is an American crime film , a film noir by director Byron Haskin from 1947, based on the play Beggars Are Coming to Town by Theodore Reeves. The US premiere was on January 16, 1948; in Germany, the film was first released on February 29, 1952.
action
Frank Madison was imprisoned for 14 years for smuggling. After his release, he meets his former gang colleague Dave in New York . He learns that Noll Turner, known as Dink, who led the smugglers' gang with Frank but never visited him in prison, now runs a well-respected nightclub . When Frank visits him, Noll pretends to be friendly feelings by asking his girlfriend, the singer Kay Lawrence, to entertain Frank. At the same time, Noll meets with Alexis Richardson, a distinguished lady of society.
Frank and Kay fall in love during dinner. Frank tells Kay his story. When Noll and Frank tried to smuggle a truckload of rye whiskey across the Canadian border in 1933, they had to part ways to evade the police. Noll promises Frank 50 percent of the profit if he's caught. Noll escapes on foot, Frank drives on with the truck and is arrested by the police.
When Noll reappears after dinner, Frank demands his share. Dave shows Frank a document that Frank signed in jail and that he only admits just under $ 3,000. Frank knocks Noll down and leaves the nightclub to hire people to help him with Noll. Shortly afterwards, Noll tells Kay that he loves her, but will marry Alexis. Kay leaves Noll and turns to Frank after apologizing. Former gang member and now used car dealer Nick Palestro joins Frank. They drive with three other people to the night club, where Noll and Dave explain that the night club belongs to a society. Without the consent of the owner, Noll Frank cannot offer participation. Frank wants to kill Noll. He calls on his helpers to fight to take over the nightclub, but they refuse. Noll's bouncer Dan lies in wait for Frank in an avenue and beats him up. Dave finds Frank and apologizes for the behavior. He promises to visit Frank later and bring Noll with him for a conversation.
Kay takes care of Frank's injuries in her apartment. Meanwhile, Dave threatens to ruin Noll by exposing Noll's embezzlement of nightclub profits to the owners. When Dave is later shot dead by Noll's assistant Skinner, Frank is suspected of murder. He escapes with Kay by taxi to Noll's house in New Jersey , where Noll is waiting for both of them with a gun. Frank overpowers Noll and takes the gun from him. He drives him to the nightclub, where he demands the 3,000 dollars and a written confession. The police show up and arrest Noll after a brief investigation. While Noll is being brought to the car, he is able to disarm two police officers and target Frank, but he is shot by another police officer. Kay and Frank decide to shape their future lives together.
Reviews
"An exciting gangster film developed in flashbacks that pessimistically portrays a friendship and its end in terms of milieu and atmosphere in the style of the" Black Series "."
"Tight, hardened film noir thrill."
"Pessimistic film noir with two young stars."
background
The main characters in the film were relatively inexperienced. Wendell Corey was in front of a camera for the second time and Lizabeth Scott for the fifth time. Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, like Mickey Knox, each had their fourth film role here, this being the first of seven joint films by the two later film stars.
Oscar winners Sam Comer and Hans Dreier , born in Bremen , were responsible for setting the film . Edith Head took care of the costumes . Leo Shuken took part in the orchestra .
Soundtrack
- I Walk Alone by Allie Wrubel and Ned Washington
- Isn't It Romantic? by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
- Heart and Soul by Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser
- Don't Call It Love by Allie Wrubel and Ned Washington
Web links
- Fourteen years Sing-Sing in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Critique of Variety
- Review by Bosley Crowther in the New York Times (English)
- Movie posters from Germany, USA, Italy, Spain and France
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. Lexicon of International Films 2000/2001 (CD-ROM)
- ↑ http://www.cinema.de/kino/filmarchiv/film/vierzehn-jahre-sing-sing,1318864,ApplicationMovie.html
- ↑ http://www.tv-direkt.de/2269-Vierzehn-Jahre-Sing-Sing.html ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
