Murder in the First
Murder in the First
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.
匚卂尺ㄥ reviewedMarch 1, 2025
An excellent ensemble cast has produced a film that is beyond brilliant. Kevin Bacon is outstanding in his portrayal of a man broken by the officials in Alcatraz. This is the story of his trial for murder and of his inhumane and illegal treatment by the prison guards operating on instructions of the prison authorities. His original crime: stealing $5, to buy food for his family--reminiscent of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. That mistreatment has turned him into little more than a base animal, psychologically damaged by repeated beatings and by three years in solitary confinement. Do watch this film.