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They Made Me a Criminal

They Made Me a Criminal

  • Status: Released
  • 21-01-1939
  • Runtime: 92 min
  • Score: 6.149
  • Vote count: 37

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

John Garfield

Johnnie Bradfield, aka Jack Dorney

Claude Rains

Det. Monty Phelan

Ann Sheridan

Goldie West

May Robson

Grandma Rafferty

Gloria Dickson

Peggy

Billy Halop

Tommy

Bobby Jordan

Angel

Leo Gorcey

Spit

Huntz Hall

Dippy

Gabriel Dell

T.B.

Bernard Punsly

Milt

Robert Gleckler

Doc Ward (Johnnie's Manager)

John Ridgely

Charles 'Charlie' Magee (Reporter)

Barbara Pepper

Budgie Massey

William B. Davidson

Ennis

Ward Bond

Lenihan

Robert Strange

Malvin

Louis Jean Heydt

Randy Smith

Frank Riggi

Gaspar Rutchek

Cliff Clark

Manager

Dick Wessel

Collucci

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.