AllMovie

Director William "One Take" Beaudine puts his all-character-actor cast through their paces in Men of San Quentin. J. Anthony Hughes plays a prison guard who tries to put new reforms into effect when he becomes a warden. Naturally, Hughes' efforts are undercut by a handful of hardbitten cons and jealous fellow guards. His efforts pay off when Hughes is able to quell a prison riot. Men of San Quentin was produced and cowritten by Martin Mooney, a former newspaperman who'd actually "done time" behind bars; its opening theme music was performed by the San Quentin orchestra!