Ladies and gentlemen, I would like at this moment o announce that I will be retiring from this program in two weeks"" ime because of poor ratings.Likewise, unknown Gene Hackman was recognized as a solid actor and went on to star in many substantial roles (his next major role was inThe French Connection (1971)).Slow-witted, illiterate waterfront bum Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) follows behind, surviving as a lackey by running odd jobs and errands for Johnny and doing strong-arm work...and awoke America""s conscience!"A few other prison films had already been released before this short, 90 minute film: the classicThe Big House (1930)about brutish prison conditions, Howard Hawks""Criminal Code (1931),Ladies of the Big House (1931), and director Rowland Brown""sHell""s Highway (1932)(the first of the hard-hitting chain-gang films - deliberately released by RKO""s producer David Selznick a few months earlier).