AllMovie

This socially conscious, well-wrought silent drama made an earnest plea for prison reform over two decades before it became a national cause. The film's message still remains powerful today. In order to truly understand the subject, director Raoul Walsh and his buddy Jack Pickford actually stayed (by choice) in a real penitentiary. The story follows the grim experiences of an innocent man convicted of murder. He did kill the victim, but it was strictly self-defense. The prison itself is run by three corrupt administrators. This film includes performances by actors Johnny Reese, James Marcus, and George Walsh, among others.