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poster of They Made Me a Criminal
Rating: 6.3/10 by 30 users

They Made Me a Criminal (1939)

A boxer flees, believing he has committed a murder while he was drunk.

Directing:
  • Busby Berkeley
Writing:
  • Sig Herzig
  • Bertram Millhauser
  • Beulah Marie Dix
Stars:
Release Date: Sat, Jan 21, 1939

Rating: 6.3/10 by 30 users

Alternative Title:

Country:
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 32 minutes
Budget: $0
Revenue: $0

Plot Keyword: police, sports, detective, arizona, boxer, ranch, reporter, dead end kids, boxing
Subtitle   Wallpaper   Watch Trailer    

John Garfield
Johnnie Bradfield, aka Jack Dorney
Claude Rains
Det. Monty Phelan
Ann Sheridan
Goldie West
May Robson
Grandma Rafferty
Robert Gleckler
Doc Ward (Johnnie's Manager)
John Ridgely
Charles 'Charlie' Magee (Reporter)
Barbara Pepper
Budgie Massey
Frank Riggi
Gaspar Rutchek
Sam Hayes
Fight Announcer
Jack Austin
Cop #1 (uncredited)
Irving Bacon
Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Clem Bevans
Ticket Taker (uncredited)
Richard Bond
Reporter at First Fight (uncredited)
Edwin Brian
Newsboy (uncredited)
Raymond Brown
Sheriff (uncredited)
Mushy Callahan
Schwimmer (uncredited)
Nat Carr
Haskell - Reporter at First Fight (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler
Detective #2 (uncredited)
Georgie Cooper
Elderly Lady (uncredited)
Hal Craig
Detective #3 (uncredited)
Joe Cunningham
Columnist (uncredited)
John Dilson
Doctor (uncredited)
Mike Donovan
Policeman (uncredited)
Tom Dugan
Man Behind Grandma (uncredited)
John Harron
First Fight Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson
Mr. Williamson (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes
Second Fight Timekeeper (uncredited)
Arthur Housman
Drunk Next to Grandma (uncredited)
Donald Kerr
Man in Ring After First Fight (uncredited)
Reid Kilpatrick
Radio Sports Commentator (voice) (uncredited)
Harry Leroy
Spectator at Second Fight (uncredited)
Al Lloyd
Man in Front of Spit (uncredited)
Doris Lloyd
Mrs. Williamson (uncredited)
Frank Mayo
Man at First Fight with Tophat (uncredited)
Sam McDaniel
Splash (uncredited)
Larry McGrath
Second Fight Referee (uncredited)
Frank Meredith
Cop #2 (uncredited)
Jack Mower
Man in Locker Room After First Fight (uncredited)
Jimmy O'Gatty
Rutchek's Handler (uncredited)
Paul Panzer
Jim - Assistant Ticket Taker (uncredited)
Bob Perry
Cawley - Jack's Handler (uncredited)
Charles Randolph
First Fight Referee (uncredited)
John J. Richardson
Reporter (uncredited)
Cyril Ring
First Fight Ringsider (uncredited)
Bert Roach
Hendricks (uncredited)
Dave Roberts
Police Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Sally Sage
Girl Entering Locker Room (uncredited)
Cliff Saum
Man in Front of Tommy (uncredited)
Janet Shaw
Girl Entering Locker Room (uncredited)
John Sheehan
Man in Front of Grandma (uncredited)
Ronald Sinclair
J. Douglas Williamson (uncredited)
Charles Sullivan
Second Fight Trainer (uncredited)
Elliott Sullivan
Mel - Hoodlum Stealing $50 (uncredited)
Dorothy Varden
Minor Role (uncredited)
Tom Wilson
Kid Tacoma (uncredited)
Jack Wise
Second Fight Ticket Seller (uncredited)

CinemaSerf

This is one of these films that you need to allow quite a bit of latitude, else you will rule it just too implausible and stop watching. John Garfield ("Johnnie") is a world champion boxer who finds himself embroiled in the death of a journalist. His problem is, he was totally sozzled after his victory so cannot recall what he did, or didn't, do - so absconds to a remote Arizona ranch where he helps the elderly May Robson who runs a refuge for wayward teenagers. That's where he meets, and falls for "Peggy" (Gloria Dickson) and settles down to a respectable life helping teach the boys how to focus their energies on boxing. Thing is, New York plod "Whelan" (Claude Rains) is on his case, and soon this newly found utopia is at risk... Garfield does a fitting job here, he is eminently plausible as the flawed prizefighter and his character's evolution as the story develops is engaging too. Rains features sparingly for much of the film, and I found his efforts a little disappointingly constrained when he did appear. The film really, for me anyway, belonged to the "Dead End Kids" - playing the best game of strip poker I think I've ever seen in a family movie. It's a bit too long, but has good pace, plenty of action, decent dialogue and the romance is kept to a minimum - well worth a watch.


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