Gangster "Jerry" (Richard Barthelmess) is finally apprehended by the cops and put in prison under the care of warden William Holden. The latter character is determined to try and help his charge and so keeps his gal "Alice" (Betty Compson) from visiting whilst the young man discovers that music might just be a source to his character redemption. Pretty soon, he is a bit of a singing sensation on the wireless and when he is released, things are looking positive. Of course, when free, the temptations and risks from his former life raise their head - as does "Alice", whom he wrongly assumed had abandoned him, before a timely intervention from both her and his erstwhile custodian prove fateful. This is essentially an opportunity for the charming Bathelmess to demonstrate his skills as a talker - his efforts are competent and his charisma from silent days undiminished. The story is a bit basic, though, and there is something just a bit too sentimental about this hybrid crime romance. The title song is sung (by jobbing songster Johnny Murray) just once to often - it's a bit more lie "Dreary River", but the film's is still a decently paced and enjoyable watch.
Thomas, the son of a prison warden, falls for Martin, one of the prison inmates. After Martin is released, they try to build a relationship and a life together but, no one will leave them alone.
The story of Washington D.C. radio personality Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who became a popular talk show host and community activist in the 1960s.
As the west rapidly becomes civilized, a pair of outlaws in 1890s Wyoming find themselves pursued by a posse and decide to flee to South America in hopes of evading the law.
A death row inmate turns for spiritual guidance to a local nun in the days leading up to his scheduled execution for the murders of a young couple.
Michel takes up pickpocketing on a lark and is arrested soon after. His mother dies shortly after his release, and despite the objections of his only friend, Jacques, and his mother's neighbor Jeanne, Michel teams up with a couple of petty thieves in order to improve his craft. With a police inspector keeping an eye on him, Michel also tries to get a straight job, but the temptation to steal is hard to resist.
Aspiring comic Rupert Pupkin attempts to achieve success in show business by stalking his idol, a late night talk-show host who craves his own privacy.
Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates - including an older prisoner named Red - for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.
Will Kane, the sheriff of a small town in New Mexico, learns a notorious outlaw he put in jail has been freed, and will be arriving on the noon train. Knowing the outlaw and his gang are coming to kill him, Kane is determined to stand his ground, so he attempts to gather a posse from among the local townspeople.
Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.
Set in 1929, a political boss and his advisor have a parting of the ways when they both fall for the same woman.
When illegal card dealer and recovering heroin addict Frankie Machine gets out of prison, he decides to straighten up. Armed with nothing but an old drum set, Frankie tries to get honest work as a drummer. But when his former employer and his old drug dealer re-enter his life, Frankie finds it hard to stay clean and eventually finds himself succumbing to his old habits.