An eager and idealistic young attorney defends an Alcatraz prisoner accused of murdering a fellow inmate. The extenuating circumstances: his client had just spent over three years in solitar... Read allAn eager and idealistic young attorney defends an Alcatraz prisoner accused of murdering a fellow inmate. The extenuating circumstances: his client had just spent over three years in solitary confinement.An eager and idealistic young attorney defends an Alcatraz prisoner accused of murdering a fellow inmate. The extenuating circumstances: his client had just spent over three years in solitary confinement.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 2 nominations
William H. Macy
- William McNeil
- (as Bill Macy)
Alex Bookston
- Alcatraz Doc
- (as Alexander Bookston)
David Michael Sterling
- Inmate Rufus 'Ray' McCain
- (as David Sterling)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIn real life, Henri Young's defense was handled by two prominent San Francisco attorneys, Sol A. Abrams and James Martin MacInnes. They offered the temporary insanity defense, saying that Young's brutal treatment on Alcatraz had led him to murder his fellow inmate, Rufus McCain. The jury bought the argument, and returned a verdict of Involuntary manslaughter, largely because the Alcatraz officials who testified at Young's trial refused to provide any actual details of prisoner treatment at the prison to contradict Young's defense. (Alcatraz officials and guards lived under strict rules not to talk about prison procedures when off the island, for fear these details would make it into the newspapers and be used by criminals in breakout attempts.)
- GoofsHenry Young didn't go to Alcatraz for "stealing 5 dollars." In real life, he was both a bank robber and a murderer, and had already been in at least two state prisons before landing at Alcatraz.
- - - - -
- Quotes
James Stamphill: Did you kill Rufus McCain?
Henri Young: I was the weapon, but I ain't no killer.
- Crazy creditsThis Film is Inspired by a True Story
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siskel & Ebert: Memo to the Academy - 1995 (1995)
- SoundtracksTuxedo Junction
Written by Erskine Hawkins, William Johnson, Julian Dash, and Buddy Feyne
Performed by The Andrews Sisters
Courtesy of MCA Records
Featured review
Not Exactly the True Story
This was a very entertaining film about the horrible treatment of a certain prisoner at Alcatraz named Henri Young who robbed a store for five dollars ($5.00) and was sent to prison. Henri Young was played by Kevin Bacon who did a fantastic job of acting and captured your attention through out the film. There were many scenes filmed on the Island of Alcatraz and some old time footage of the first time Warden of Alcatraz, James R. Johnston. Christian Slater, (James Stamphill) was the lawyer assigned for Henri Young's defense, who had a hard job trying to rehabilitate his client so he could stand trial and even speak a few words. Young was in such bad shape mentally from being put into the solitary confinement for three (3) years, he was like an animal instead of a human being. This Hollywood version is not all completely true about Henri Young, he really had a long history of crime and mental problems. However, this film is very entertaining and Kevin Bacon put his heart and soul into this role. Enjoy.
helpful•329
- whpratt1
- Nov 25, 2006
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Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $17,381,942
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,719,188
- Jan 22, 1995
- Gross worldwide
- $17,381,942
- Runtime2 hours 2 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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