Condannato

A much underrated prison picture starring Glenn Ford and Broderick Crawford, Convicted moves quickly, has some excellent dialogue, and is chock full of great character actors (Frank Faylen, Millard Mitchell, Whit Bissell). Ford doesn't belong in prison and compassionate warden Crawford seeks to help him out. Everything comes together nicely in this film, which has some fine dark-edged photography and a dingier than usual looking prison. Director Henry Levin handles his material as well as a Wellman or a Keighley would have done, and was somewhat of an enigma, capable of making both dreadful and very good films; his work here however is very sure.