San Quentin

San Quentin.
1937 Warner Bros.-First National Pictures & Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Pat O'Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, Barton MacLane, Joe Sawyer
Director: Lloyd Bacon
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or as part of the Warner Gangsters Collection, Volume 2 (Formerly Tough Guys).

An army officer named Steve Jameson (O'Brien) is hired to take charge of the inmates at San Quentin, replacing another captain, Druggin (MacLane), who was fond of giving the inmates extra punishment for slight infractions. Jameson is also sweet on a singer named Mae Kennedy (Sheridan)

Red Kennedy (Bogart) is sentenced to San Quentin after shooting at police officers, and Jameson learns that he and Mae are siblings. Red is duped during his first day in the yard into believing that he's already been pardoned, and after he gets laughed at, he beats up Hanson (Sawyer), who told him this. Druggin wants Red in solitary for a month, but Jameson gives him four days.

Later, Red is sent to work on the road gang, which he enjoys, but he ignores Hanson's ideas to take advantage of this to make an escape attempt until he's told that Jameson favors him over the other boys because he's in love with Mae. He and Hanson, with the help of his girlfriend Helen, make a break for it, taking Druggin hostage, and it's up to Jameson and Mae to bring Red back to prison.

Recommended.