Themes: Miscarriage of Justice, Escape From Prison, Blackmail
Main Cast: Spencer Tracy, Claire Luce, Warren Hymer, Humphrey Bogart, William Collier, Sr.
Release Year: 1930
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
Plot
The one-time-only combination of director John Ford and actors Spencer Tracy (in his first film) and Humphrey Bogart (in his second) should be recommendation enough for the offbeat comedy-drama Up the River. Tracy and Warren Hymer play Saint Louis and Dannemora Dan, two hard-boiled but likeable prison convicts. While in stir, the boys befriend another convict named Steve (Bogart), who is in love with woman's-prison inmate Judy (Claire Luce). Eventually, Steve and Judy are released, whereupon they get married and head to a small town where no one knows of their criminal pasts. It isn't long, however, before the couple's future happiness is threatened by dishonest salesman Frosby (Gaylord Pendleton), the no-good rat who framed Judy. Frosby threatens to expose Steve's prison record if the latter refuses to go along with a scheme to defraud his neighbors. Learning of this situation, Saint Louis and Dan escape from jail, foil Frosby's scheme, and return behind bars just in time to play in a prison all-star baseball game! Nonsensical to say the least, Up the River is also a film that's hard to dislike. It was remade by 20th Century-Fox in 1938, with Preston S. Foster and Tony Martin respectively in the Tracy and Bogart roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
John Ford - Director, Frank E. Hull - Editor, James F. Hanley - Songwriter, Joseph McCarthy - Songwriter, Joseph H. August - Cinematographer, William Fox - Producer, Duncan Cramer - Set Designer, William Collier, Sr. - Screenwriter, Maurine Watkins - Screenwriter
Two convicts, St. Louis (Spencer Tracy) and Dannemora Dan (Warren Hymer) befriend another convict named Steve (Humphrey Bogart), who is in love with woman's-prison inmate Judy (Claire Luce). Eventually, Steve and Judy are released, they get married and head to a small New England town where no one knows of their criminal pasts. It isn't long, however, before the couple's future happiness is threatened by dishonest salesman Frosby (Gaylord Pendleton), who framed Judy. Frosby threatens to expose Steve's prison record if the latter refuses to go along with a scheme to defraud his neighbors. St. Louis and Dannemora Dan break out of prison during a theatrical production and arrive in New England to appropriate the bonds Steve's mother had turned over to Frosby, and they return in time to win the prison's annual baseball game.[1][2]
Tracy had starred in three shorts earlier the same year and Bogart had been an unbilled extra in a silent movie a decade before, but this is the first credited feature film for both actors. This was the only feature film that close friends Tracy and Bogart ever made together. They tried to make The Desperate Hours in 1955, but neither would consent to second billing, so the role intended for Tracy went to Fredric March instead.
Claire Luce (1903–1989) made very few films, but was on Broadway in many plays from 1923–1952. She should not be confused with the more famous author and playwright Clare Boothe Luce (1903–1987).
New England Vintage Film Society, Inc. (2008). Spencer Tracy: The Pre-Code Legacy of a Hollywood Legend. Newton, MA: New England Vintage Film Society. ISBN 978-1-4363-4138-7.
