San Quentin (1937) User Reviews (41)

"Well Jamieson, there's your new Army."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 15 March 2006]

Warner Brothers got a lot of mileage out of films offering social commentary and reflecting on the ills of society in the 1930's and '40's. "San Quentin" is their take on the drudgery of the prison system and how one man hopes to bring self respect to that class of inmates that wants to go straight.

I don't know how accurate the set up for the film might be. Army Officer Steve Jamieson (Pat O'Brien) is on leave from the Army for a special assignment as Yard Captain at San Quentin State Prison. He's replacing the interim boss Lt. Druggin (Barton MacLane), who's manner is the typical caricature one envisions of a tough prison guard. Druggin stews over his demotion as Jamieson tries to balance toughness with compassion, giving the prisoners a break when it's deserved.

The thorn in Jamieson's side will be Joe "Red" Kennedy (Humphrey Bogart), a petty criminal who winds up in the big house after his last job. Complicating matters is Joe's sister Mae (Ann Sheridan), who's budding romance with Jamieson winds up distorting the perception of the other inmates, who feel Joe is receiving special treatment. Taking advantage of the situation is convict Sailor Boy Hanson (Joe Sawyer), arriving at San Quentin with Joe at the same time. When Hanson plans his breakout, he wants Joe by his side, having earned Hanson's respect when the two got into a tussle some time earlier.

The blustery Druggin sees an opportunity to take Jamieson down a peg when he's tipped off about the breakout by another convict. Assigning Hanson to an outside yard detail allows Sailor Boy to plan an escape with the help of his girl friend (Veda Ann Borg). Things go badly though, as Hanson grabs Druggin hostage during the escape, and both lose their lives in unrelated mishaps. A passing train offers Joe a handy getaway, and he high tails it back to Mae's place to seek refuge. Too late Joe realizes that maybe Jamieson was on the level; forcing his way back to San Quentin with a bullet in his gut, Bogey gets to crack wise one last time, but it comes out a bit corny - "Tell the cons to play ball with him, he's swell."

The trio of Humphrey Bogart, Pat O'Brien and Ann Sheridan would wind up making three films together. Their first was 1937's "The Great O'Malley", followed by "San Quentin", winding up together again in the following year's "Angels With Dirty Faces", where they would take supporting roles to James Cagney and the Dead End Kids. The first two don't seem to be commercially available, so you'll have to catch them in a venue like Turner Classic Movies or seek them through private collectors. Though not their best efforts, the films are worth seeing for their portrayals of life in a bygone era, when life was simpler but just as complicated at the same time.

Standard tough prison melodrama, competently done

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 6/10 · 14 April 2005]

In "San Quentin," Bogart returns quickly to a life of crime… Trying without success to add some depth and meaning to a role which offered little of either, Bogart is a convicted robber sent to San Quentin and assigned to a road gang as a rehabilitated step instituted by the prison yard captain, Pat O'Brien…

When Bogart is maliciously informed, through the efforts of the bad Barton MacLane, that O'Brien has less than honorable intentions toward his sister, Ann Sheridan, he breaks out and shoots O'Brien, though not seriously…

When he finds that he has made a mistake, he decides to give himself up, but…

"San Quentin," though far from one of Bogart's best roles, is almost always included in his film retrospectives as a favorite choice of his fans

San Quentin, you've been living hell to me

[krorie · 7/10 · 26 July 2006]

"San Quentin" presents a good view of what goes on behind the walls of state prisons, not so different from today, except for high tech gadgets that make escape more difficult.

Lieutenant Druggin (Barton MacLane) is relieved of his temporary position as yard captain, much to his dislike. When an army officer, Captain Steve Jameson (Pat O'Brien), accepts a two-year assignment to be his replacement, Druggin sets about to thwart Steve's changes, believing them to be too liberal.

Before arriving at his assignment, Steve spends a night in a club with his army buddies where he meets and falls in love with the singer, May Kennedy (Ann Sheridan), unaware that she has a criminal brother, Red Kennedy (Humphrey Bogart), bound for San Quentin following his capture at the club the same evening.

After meeting May's brother at San Quentin, Steve is determined to reform the young man without informing him that he knows and loves his sister. Red figures in on part of Steve's reform program, selecting those most likely to be rehabilitated for the fresh air road jobs, before based on seniority and good behavior alone. Steve convinces the prison board by explaining how many of the seasoned criminals take advantage of the old system to use the jobs outside the walls as means of escape. All goes awry when 'Sailor Boy' Hanson (Joe Sawyer) pulls strings with Druggin to get assigned with Red on the same work detail. Hanson needles Red about his sister being exploited by Steve by using her brother as a weapon. Hearing about Steve and May's relationship for the first time so angers Red that he throws in with Hanson and they make their getaway. It is now up to Steve to catch Red before he is totally lost to crime.

"San Quentin" has a stellar cast that raises this somewhat routine prison drama to higher ground. Humphrey Bogart's character runs the gamut of emotions but remains true to form as a wannabe tough guy with a chip on his shoulder. The gifted actress Ann Sheridan was seldom given an opportunity by the studio to strut her stuff, but she could make even the most thankless role shine. This time she is given an opportunity to show off her singing talent. Pat O'Brien, while not a versatile actor, could be counted on to give a good performance. The supporting cast of character actors makes every aspect of this tough prison drama believable.

Veteran director Lloyd Bacon delivers the goods in creating a fast paced film with an exciting chase scene near the end, filled with some daring stunt work, especially the motorcycle jump. There is exceptional camera work by Sidney Hickox of the environs of San Quentin, in particular the shots of the yard with the prisoners at times appearing almost surrealistic.

"Aw shaddup and gimme the works."

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 12 May 2014]

Pat O'Brien is the new captain of the prison guard at San Quentin who clashes with guard Barton MacLane while romancing the sister (Ann Sheridan) of new convict Humphrey Bogart. A great WB prison flick; one of the best. Solid supporting cast of familiar faces. The leads are all great. Sheridan gets to sing a song. She's not as glamorous here as she would be in the '40s, but she's still a looker. Bogie is very entertaining in one of his early roles. He's got pals on the outside that can pull wires, doncha know? O'Brien and MacLane are good in roles they could play in their sleep. The prison stuff is better than the romantic subplot. Bogie fans will like it for his fun performance. Love that gangster tough guy lingo!

A good action packed prison flick !

[gullwing592003 · 7/10 · 31 May 2010]

This is a good solid entertaining formulated prison picture that stars Pat O'Brien & Humphrey Bogart in good form & backed by an excellent cast of Warner Bros. contract players such as Ann Sheridan, Barton Maclane, Joseph Sawyer, Veda Ann Borg etc. Pat O'Brien is the Army Captain Steve Jameson that takes over as the new warden of San Quentin Prison replacing Lt. Druggin (Barton Maclane)who's reduced to a tough prison guard.

Humphrey Bogart portrays Joe "Red" Kennedy a small time crook that gets arrested & lands in the Big House & comes face to face with Captain Jameson who thinks Kennedy can be rehabilitated. Bogart is in his element as the tough convict Red Kennedy but also has some depth & dimension predating Roy Earle in High Sierra. Not just another one dimensional type gangster Bogart so often played in the 30's.

San Quentin doesn't bring anything new to the genre in 1937, the early 30's already introduced audiences to prison life in The Big House, 20,000 Years in Sing Sing & I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang. San Quentin is a very watchable prison movie with a winning formula that works if you like the genre. I love prison movies & if it was good enough for Spencer Tracy, Paul Muni, George Raft & James Cagney then it was good enough for Humphrey Bogart.

All these actors were part of the Rogues Gallery of Thugs that excelled in gangster films & did time in the Big House. This is a very fast paced story that packs a lot of elements in just 70 minutes. We see a singing Ann Sheridan, a prison strike, a rifle carrying bible thumping nut ball & of course the inevitable prison escape climaxed by an exciting high speed chase that involves cars, motorcycles, a freight train, spectacular crashes & dare devil stunts.

I have this & several other early Bogart & Spencer Tracy movies on VHS & I'm quite pleased to find San Quentin out on commercial DVD, of course I had to buy it & there's even a commentary for this. Which tells me that San Quentin is a fairly significant movie worthy of some attention & praise. Bogart gets 2nd billing to Pat O'Brien, Bogie was previously in Marked Woman 2nd billed to Bette Davis as a crusader of justice. But in 1936 Bogart had the lead role as a factory auto worker in Black Legion, released in 1937. 1937 was a good year for Bogart. His next film was Dead End.

Another Warner Bros. Prison Classic!

[bsmith5552 · 7/10 · 16 September 2006]

"San Quentin" as the name implies is a trim little prison movie (it runs a scant 70 minutes) from Director Lloyd Bacon and Warner Brothers.

Ex Army Captain Steve Jameson (Pat O'Brien) takes a job as Captain of the Yard of San Quentin prison replacing acting Captain Druggin (Barton MacLane) whose handling of the prisoners was questioned by Warden Taylor (Joseph King).

Before taking up his duties, Jameson meets singer May Kennedy (Ann Sheridan) in a nightclub and the two become attracted to each other. May's brother "Red" Kennedy (Humphrey Bogart) is on the lam and comes to her for money but is arrested at the club in front of Jameson. Guess which prison Red will be sent to.

Jameson takes up his duties and vows to instill discipline and respect in the prisoners. Meanwhile Red turns up at the prison in the company of hard timer Sailor Boy Hansen (Joe Sawyer). Hansen plots an escape and asks Red to go along.

Meanwhile Jameson begins to make progress in Red's rehabilitation to the point of where Red is refusing to go along with Hansen's escape plan. However the envious Druggin learns from the prison fink (Ernie Adams) of the planned escape. He arranges Hansen's assignment to the road gang along with Red. One night the fink lets it slip that Jameson is "taking advantage" of Red's sister May. Red becomes enraged and decides to go along with Hansen and....................

An oddity in the casting has Bogey playing Ann Sheridan's younger 25 year old brother. In fact Bogey was some 15 years older than Sheridan, although to both of their credits, they manage to pull it off. Pat O'Brien was born to play authority figures and does his usual excellent job here. Bogey for once, gets to play a character far removed from his usual one dimensional gangster portrayals, and proves his range as an actor.

Others in the cast include Garry Owen as Dopey the preacher, Veda Ann Borg as Helen, Hansen's moll and James Robbins, Marc Lawrence, William Pawley and Al Hill as various convicts.

Another of Warners long list of 30s gangster/prison classics.

Really not a bad prison movie.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 13 July 2006]

This movie doesn't really offer anything new or spectacular but it does provide a good qualitatively 70 minutes. It's your standard prison drama in which most of the formulaic ingredients are present but this time also with a love-story mixed in.

The story is perhaps not the most interesting or refreshing but it is told in a good way. The pace of the movie is high and obviously made by experienced professionals. The editing is a bit offbeat and weird at times and the action and ending is rather weak but nevertheless "San Quentin" remains a perfectly watchable movie, thanks to the professional cast & crew involved.

The movie has a solid cast. Pat O'Brien plays the leading role very well and he really makes the character work. Also great was Humphrey Bogart, from the period when he was not yet a leading man in Hollywood movies. The most other characters remain rather flat and blank but this was often the case in movies from the '30's.

Of course prison movie set in the '30's are the most interesting to watch, when convicts still wore those great uniforms and guards where known as brutal animals who weren't afraid of using their weapons. This movie is set in that period and although this movie is not an heavy or dramatic one, it still makes this movie a better than average one, thanks to the time period it is set in.

It's not an essential viewing. The movie is too dry, simple and short for that. However when you do watch this movie, you won't regret it. It's well made entertainment and has some excellent actors in it.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Dated Prison Drama

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 28 July 2013]

The army Captain Stephen Jameson (Pat O'Brien) accepts the assignment to work as captain of San Quentin yard and he celebrates with two military friends in a night-club. He falls in love with the singer May Kennedy (Ann Sheridan) and he witnesses the arrest of her brother Joe 'Red' Kennedy (Humphrey Bogart) for the heist of a restaurant.

The prison warden tells to Lieutenant Druggin (Barton MacLane), who is temporarily in the position of captain, that he will be replaced by Jameson and Druggin is upset. Captain Jameson implements a rigid discipline expecting to regenerate the law offender inmates and he helps Red. When the criminal "Sailor Boy" Hansen (Joseph Sawyer) plans a prison escape, he invites Red to join him. Red refuses, and Hansen poisons him telling that Jameson is helping him is banging his sister. Now Red accepts to escape to kill Jameson.

"San Quentin" is a dated prison drama, with a story that sounds naive and moralist in the present days but nevertheless is a good movie. Ann Sheridan is gorgeous and I am a fan of Humphrey Bogart; in addition the movie has spectacular car chase and I really like and recommend it despite the bad reviews. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "San Quentin"

Weak Prison Drama

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 25 January 2006]

They've got a new captain of the guards coming to San Quentin in Pat O'Brien. Barton MacLane who held the job previously is demoted and is in a foul mood.

A couple of new prisoners are arriving as well. Joe Sawyer as a hardened criminal and Humphrey Bogart who O'Brien believes is salvageable. O'Brien also meets up with Bogey's sister, Ann Sheridan and they get to kanoodling.

Each for their own motives, Sawyer and MacLane play Iago to Bogey's inner Othello and Bogey and Sawyer crash out of San Quentin.

Back in the day Warner Brothers was the great working class studio, with many a film of social significance. San Quentin is one of these, but it's hardly the best one. I'm at a loss to see why O'Brien thinks Bogart is so salvageable other than his involvement with his sister.

Joe Sawyer has one of his best film parts in San Quentin. He's a hardened criminal and that's all there is to it. He played a similar role vis a vis Bogart in Black Legion which is a much better film.

Also Garry Owen has a nice turn as a stir crazy convict who O'Brien has to face down and disarm.

Dedicated fans of Humphrey Bogart will like this film, others can take it or leave it.

A Flat Film That Mostly Disappoints

[ccthemovieman-1 · 5/10 · 15 January 2007]

This is one of those odd situations where the actors were some big names and decent in their performances, and the story wasn't bad....yet there wasn't much appeal to it, either. Only the action scene in the last 10-15 minutes provided any spark to this film which was too flat, for the most part.

The story was about a new guy in charge of the San Quentin prison yard who was going to be humane and make things work. Pat O'Brien plays that guy, "Capt. Steve Jameson." The previous man in charge is a nasty, corrupt bird named "Lt. Druggin," who Barton MacLane plays effectively well.

In the meantime we have the featured crook, "Red Kennedy," played by Humphrey Bogart, who almost always played villains in his 1930 films, and we have his sister "May" played by Ann Sheridan. O'Brien has the hots for her and promises to be fair to her brother. "Red," however, is too paranoid and stupid to appreciate what's done for him and that's when we get to the interesting finale to the film.

Overall, not bad but not worth watching a second time. At 70 minutes, at least it didn't overstay its welcome.

San Quentin: Good Prison Yarn ***

[edwagreen · 8/10 · 18 October 2006]

Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan and Pat O'Brien star in this 1937 film detailing prison life.

A man and army official with a heart, O'Brien is sent to this prison to help reform it from a vicious guard played in his usual sinister way by Barton MacLane.

O'Brien falls for lounge singer Sheridan. Coincidentally, her brother is sent to the jail for armed robbery. Tough guy Bogart is reformed by O'Brien until a misunderstanding leads Bogie to believe that he is being treated well since O'Brien is stuck on his sister.

Jealous and angry of O'Brien being brought in over him, MacLane "arranges" a breakout of Bogart and another inmate with tragic results for all resulting.

This picture details when a criminal tries to go straight but other things just get in the way.

Marc Lawrence, who died recently in his 90s, is also excellent as one of the inmates.

The film also shows emotionally disturbed people being in the same prison as hardened criminals.

Note Veda Ann Borg in a small but captivating role.

A trail of tears that leads straight back to the Big House.

[sol-kay · 7/10 · 1 February 2006]

**SPOILERS** With things getting out of control in controlling the rowdy San Quentin inmates the prisons Warden Taylor, Joe King, gets tough but sensitive US Army man Capt. Steve Jamerson, Pat O'Brien, to replace the utterly incompetent and abusive Let. Druggin, Barton MacLane, as the commander of the prisons guards.

Steve meets, and falls in love with, Mea De Villiers aka May Kennedy, Ann Sheridan, at a San Francisco nightclub who's brother Red, Humphrey Bogart, later turns out to be a prisoner in the very prison that he's to be working at.

Working with, instead of against, the prison inmates has them stop their rebellious activities and at the same time respect Jameson. Let. Druggin, who's now Jamesons second in command, is planing to start up something by getting a number of inmates to break out in order to embarrass the guard commander and have him canned by Warden Taylor.

Red who's getting the hang of it in being cooperative with the prison administration, like Jameson want's him to, is later manipulated into going along with the hardened and murderous convict Carl "Sailor Boy" Hansen, Joe Sawyer,in a prison break secretly set up by Druggin.

Druggin having both Sailor Boy and Red put on a prisoner road work detail outside San Quentin the two plan is set up to escape by the two convicts with Sailor Boy's girlfriend Helen, Veda Ann Berg, being recruited to drive the getaway car.

The prison escape turns out to be a disaster for Druggin with him being kidnapped, instead of helped, by Sailor Boy and Red and later thrown from the speeding car to his death. With Sailor Boy killed in a car crash and Red then getting away from the perusing police by rail he later gets back to May's home in SF where he finds Jameson with her and then angrily basts him away.

Red mad at Jameson, for what he thought, taking advantage of May by treating him with kindness and understanding in the clink in order to make romantic points with her realizes, only too late, that both Jameson and his sister May were in love with each other. It turns out that Jameson somehow recovered for his wounds and survived Red's shooting.

With the cops outside May's apartment waiting for him Red tries to escape but is shot and fatally wounded. On the run and hitching a ride back to San Quentin, to give himself up, Red tells the guards in a kind of death bed confession that Jameson was right with what he did in the prison, in trying to straighten out incorrigible hoods like himself. Thus proving that Captain Steve Jameson's policies in San Quentin to have been right all along saving Capt. Jamesons job and his, Joeseph "Red" Kennedy's, troubled soul.

(POSSIBLE SPOILER) Watchable but weak prison drama saved by the stars...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 11 September 2006]

If you're looking for top flight work from BOGART, SHERIDAN and O'BRIEN, don't look here. It's strictly a routine drama with a rather implausible resolution, and yet, because of its three stars it's still quite watchable.

Sheridan is a nightclub singer who catches the eye of Pat O'Brien. He's present when Sheridan's brother HUMPHREY BOGART shows up at the club like a bad penny and sets the plot in motion when he's busted for a robbery rap. Turns out O'Brien is the tough warden at San Quentin and Bogart becomes his chief adversary in no time at all. You can almost guess the rest of the plot.

It's fun recognizing the usual Warner stock players in supporting roles, especially BARTON MacLANE, JOE SAWYER and MARC LAWRENCE. GARY OWEN is the mentally unhinged bible man. VEDA ANN BORG is on hand as Joe Sawyer's conspiring sister in on a road gang break.

Just don't expect anything out of the ordinary. Bogart's feisty and stubborn, as only he can muster, and Ann Sheridan at least gets to warble an unmemorable song number. Pat O'Brien plays it straight, tough and determined, all the way.

Bogart seems to be enjoying his tin horn hoodlum role, and that's all that really matters. Ann Sheridan is mighty pretty in her pre-big time stardom days, but you have to overlook the improbable ending with Bogart crawling back to prison.

An Important Role For Bogey

[ferbs54 · 7/10 · 9 September 2008]

"San Quentin" was Humphrey Bogart's 21st picture, his fifth of seven in the year 1937 alone, and the ninth following his 1936 breakthrough in "The Petrified Forest." In this one he plays Joe "Red" Kennedy, who goes to the titular big house as a young tough and comes under the wing of an even tougher bird, "Sailor" Hansen, well played, as usual, by Warner Bros. character actor Joe Sawyer. The new "captain of the yard," underplayed nicely by the always dependable Pat O'Brien, enters into a romance with Kennedy's sister May, a sassy and brassy nightclub singer appealingly portrayed by Ann Sheridan, whilst causing resentment in the previous captain, the forever growling Barton MacLane. This was an important role for Bogey, in a relatively minor (though undeniably fun) picture, in that it provided him with his first "criminal with a heart of mush" role, a role that would see its apotheosis four years later in "High Sierra." "San Quentin" is a remarkably compact film, and it really is something how much action and story are crammed into its brief 70 minutes. Director Lloyd Bacon does keep things moving; his film is filled with swiftly delivered, hard-boiled patter, and an aborted prison strike, an escape attempt, a dynamite high-speed car chase, a romance and even a nightclub number (Ann's rendition of the very bright and bouncy "How Could You?") keep things percolating right along. There is no flab or wasted moments in this Warner Bros. outing, that's for sure! Although not quite in the same exalted league as Bogey's next picture, "Dead End," "San Quentin" does still deliver the goods. It is a must-see for fans of any of the stars mentioned above, especially for those who want to see Bogey's star early on and unmistakably on the rise....

great fun to watch, though a rather silly ending

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 19 July 2006]

This is an early Humphrey Bogart film in which he plays a tough young hood about to start his first stretch in prison. At the same time this occurs, a new supervisor of the guards (Pat O'Brien) begins working there--taking the place of the sadistic and brutal Barton MacLane. It seems MacLane was demoted due to the way he treated the prisoners and it was obvious early on that he had it out for O'Brien and would try to get his revenge.

At the same time all this is occurring, O'Brien coincidentally meets Bogart's sister (Ann Sheridan). They hit it off great and when O'Brien is later lenient with Bogart, the prisoners begin talking as if this is being done strictly because O'Brien is dating Bogart's sister. Eventually, these rumors make it back to now model prisoner Bogart who vows to break out of jail, as he doesn't want anyone doing him favors (yeah, right--most prisoners would LOVE to try to exploit a situation like this). But, after Bogart breaks out (thanks to help from MacLane), he realizes that O'Brien is a swell guy and honestly wanted to help, so, shot and wounded, he crawls his way back to prison to turn himself in--thus saving O'Brien's reputation as a tough but very fair captain of the guards. Sure.

While the script is pretty syrupy in places and tough to believe, the production values are high and the acting and dialog are very good and typical of an A-quality Warner Brothers film. Exciting and fun to watch but also with some faults in plotting as well as an impossible to believe ending.

Not entirely original but swell to see the WB stock company at their best

[policy134 · 6/10 · 2 August 2008]

This type of picture was playing pretty constantly since the beginning of talkies (eg. I'm a Fugitive from a Chain Gang and even the even earlier The Big House).

Pat O'Brien plays the tough but fair warden who's trying to give the good cons a break and the bad cons what they deserve. He makes one mistake, though and that's falling for one con's sister.

Yeah, sounds pretty clichéd, doesn't it. There is even an obligatory escape sequence and guess who has to die? If you know anything about the early movie career of Humphrey Bogart, you will not be surprised.

Still, the actors under contract to Warner Bros. give it their all, especially Pat O'Brien and even more so Barton MacLane as the Lieutenant with a thorn in his side. MacLane played this role pretty much in every movie he was in.

Bogart does what he can with the role of the criminal trying to go straight but he is pretty much a cog in the plot machine. Ann Sheridan as his sister is pretty much relegated to looking worried and otherwise look good.

The movie moves with a rapid pace. Not a minute is wasted, only for maybe one song. The production values are pretty good considering this is a B-picture and the movie also has some humor.

So, it isn't Gone with the Wind but what is?

solid prison flick

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 2 July 2020]

San Quentin is a tough prison in San Francisco. Chief guard Captain Stephen Jameson (Pat O'Brien) is taken with nightclub singer Mae Kennedy (Ann Sheridan). Her brother Joe 'Red' Kennedy (Humphrey Bogart) gets arrested and becomes a new prisoner at San Quentin.

This is a solid prison flick with Bogie as the troubled conflicted bad guy. It's by the book and they have Bogie. They also have Pat O'Brien as the perfect foil. One wants to root for Bogie but he is dragged down by his own self-destructiveness. It's perfectly standard for him and for this movie.

Variations on a theme

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 21 June 2022]

In some ways these Warner Brothers crime flicks are variations on the same theme. John Bright, who wrote the book 'Beer and Blood' which became the basis for THE PUBLIC ENEMY, also provides the story for this motion picture. Instead of the focus being entirely on the gangster (Humphrey Bogart), the idea is to vary it a bit and show the gangster's sister (Ann Sheridan) developing a relationship with a warden (Pat O'Brien) who runs the prison where he's incarcerated.

There's a good set-up during the opening segment where Bogart is apprehended, after lying to Sheridan, then being sent off for a stretch in stir. At the exact same time, O'Brien and his pals are enjoying a night out. They hear Sheridan sing at the club where Bogart's been hiding from police. O'Brien is a military leader known for whipping men into shape. He's just found out that he's being sent to run San Quentin.

Ironically, all three main characters cross paths at the beginning...but Sheridan won't learn until a bit later that O'Brien is in charge of her brother, and Bogart won't learn until afterward that O'Brien is carrying on with his sister. I guess you could call it a prison melodrama which shocking revelations.

The outdoor scenes at the prison were filmed at the actual facility in San Quentin. O'Brien gains control of the men almost immediately, but one of his lieutenants (Barton MacLane) resents him. You see, MacLane wanted the top job, and he's going to be a fly in the proverbial ointment. Meanwhile Bogart has trouble adjusting and gets into a skirmish or two. He receives time in solitary confinement.

In addition to Bogart, there are other lifers whose situations play out in the background. The most amusing one is a convict with a Jesus complex who quotes from a prayer book and tries to convert the others. When his proselytizing isn't successful, he feels persecuted and regards O'Brien as a god who has forsaken him. A scene with him stealing a rifle and shooting a guard leads to his being taken to a mental hospital. O'Brien still has compassion for the guy.

The script makes a point of telling us that O'Brien understands men. He punishes them fairly. Also, he rewards them when they deserve it, and he encourages them to learn a trade while serving their long sentences. When Sheridan visits her brother, she learns he's spent time in solitary. She also slips him some money, which is against the rules.

When she is hauled off to see the warden, she finds out O'Brien is the one who has been meting out her brother's punishments and rewards. She is unhappy that he did not tell her this when he recently came over to her apartment for home-cooked meals.

Bogart is still rough around the edges. But he turns a corner and starts to reform, allowing O'Brien to help him make something of himself. Unfortunately, MacLane's plan to undermine O'Brien and usurp control of the prison will encourage some of the inmates to stage an insurrection. Bogart gets drawn into it, when he hears O'Brien is involved with his sister, which is something he can't handle emotionally.

There is a sequence where Bogart and some of the men have been taken outside the facility to do construction work as part of a road gang. One of the guys (Joe Sawyer) has a girl (Veda Ann Borg) who helps them during a highly dramatic getaway. Bogart has gone back to the dark side and is pure evil now.

He has taken MacLane hostage in the back of the car, then pushes him out of the fast moving vehicle, which causes MacLane's death. A short time later, he and his buddy switch cars, and the second car is unable to outrun a train. With a posse of cops on their tail, they veer off the main road and crash down a ravine.

After his buddy dies, Bogart flees from the wreckage and hops a freight train to town. He ends up back at his sister's place. Meanwhile, O'Brien who has been alerted about the escape, heads over to Sheridan's apartment since he knows that is where he will find his prisoner. There is a standoff where O'Brien tries to reason with Bogart. But Bogart gets away again and is shot hurrying off.

The last part of the film has Bogart returning to the gates of San Quentin. He's dying but has somehow decided this is where he belongs. He is now "home" forever.

Better Than Average Prison Flick - San Quentin

[arthur_tafero · 6/10 · 4 May 2021]

This is not one of Bogart's better films, but an average performance from him is still better than a good performance from most others. I really didn't Pat O'Brien as a warden (I expected him to join the bible-thumper con and dress up as a priest). However, Ann Sheridan is very good and the minor characters do a great job. So enjoy the freedom of not wearing masks, not having to be in solitary confinement, and not having to avoid social activities. San Quentin has nothing on COVID 19.

Curiosity Value

[JohnHowardReid · 7/10 · 27 September 2013]

Although it stars Pat O'Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan and Barton MacLane, this is actually a minor prison feature. The plot comes across as both tediously slow and thoroughly routine, the direction (Lloyd Bacon) ordinary, and the plot fade-out (screenplay by Peter Milne and Humphrey Cobb) corny. On the other hand, there is one spurt of exciting action with a prison break and a high speed car chase. Bogart has a large, characteristic 1930's role. The other players are hampered by the wordy script. O'Brien brings little of his usual color to his performance here, while Sheridan looks far more attractive in the movie's poster than she does in the actual picture. And she's given only one song – and a totally unmemorable number it is at that! MacLane tries to make his role seem more important and attention-getting by way over-acting and constant shouting. But Joe Sawyer is effective in a larger part than usual, while Joseph King is his usual competent self as Warden Taylor. Other roles are small but capably played. Sets are large and realistic, though a fair amount of stock footage is employed. There is a bit of poor process work. Bacon's direction is effective in the action scenes. We like the way he uses tracking shots through crowds of convicts, but he does nothing to enliven the many dull dialogue exchanges. Sid Hickox's photography does not treat Miss Sheridan too kindly (nor does her make-up, hair style or costumes). Other credits are okay, though why so many – Heinz Roemheld, Charles Maxwell and David Raksin – were needed on the nondescript music score is a mystery. Production values are moderate. But perhaps the worst feature of this picture is that it ends suddenly and abruptly.

Unimpressive on many fronts for a Thirties film

[JuguAbraham · 3/10 · 31 January 2002]

I watched this movie because it had Bogart in it. I was surprised the studio system could have invested money to make such movies. The plot line was weak; the final half hour of the movie being the most unconvincing plot I have come across in a long while.

This movie can be interesting only for die-hard Bogart fans. Even his performance is not noteworthy.

The single highlight of the film was the song sung by Ann Sheridan in the early part of the movie. Her role for some reason gets diluted as the film progresses, with the script increasing its attention on Pat O'Brien and Bogart.

The film had a lopsided character development, poor direction, and lack-luster performances.

there's never a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card

[lee_eisenberg · 9/10 · 4 September 2007]

In one of his roles before becoming a top star, Humphrey Bogart plays an inmate in the notorious prison. When new warden Pat O'Brien - romantically involved with Bogey's nightclub singer sister (Ann Sheridan) - comes in, he feels a little more sympathetic to Bogey's predicament and decides that it's OK if the guy leaves...but things don't work out so easily.

I can see "San Quentin" as a sequel of sorts to the numerous gangster flicks that came out in the '30s. Following their lives of crime - into which economic conditions often forced them - these hard-boiled men ended up in the most unpleasant prisons, watched over by cruel guards. Certainly Humphrey Bogart plays as tough a role as one would expect from him, and Barton MacLane (HB's co-star in later movies, and he later played Gen. Peterson on "I Dream of Jeannie") makes one nasty guard. As it is, Ann Sheridan's character is really the only one for whom you can truly root, as most other people have sordid sides.

It's certainly a movie that I recommend. Solid acting from all sides, combined with a tense score and camera angles make it a really good one. You won't be disappointed.

PS: San Quentin is now the home of Sirhan Sirhan and Charles Manson.

Sorta like chicken fat caught in the disposal. The first day the odor isn't too bad.

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 6/10 · 27 January 2017]

It's unusual to see a group of reviews that are so split in terms of a film being quite good or quite bad. But I have to go with the "quite bad" crowd on this one.

One criticism often mentioned is the scene where Humphrey Bogart is suddenly blond. I don't get that at all. Plain stupid. It would have been okay if he was blond the whole film, but no reason to be blond in one scene.

Here, Pat O'Brien plays ex-Army officer who becomes the chief guard at the prison, and interestingly, at least parts of the film were actually shot at San Quentin State Prison. It's a good -- fairly typical -- role of O'Brien, although as with most of his roles I'm not quite sure that he had much depth. It's more that he's comfortable on-screen.

O'Brien's character gets involved with Ann Sheridan, a nightclub singer, who had a bad brother who ends up under O'Brien in San Quentin. How convenient, right? But it does work.

There's a lot of the film spent showing everyday life at San Quentin, and all I could think was whether prisons back then were really that (for wont of a better word) innocent. An guess what, almost every inmate was white. But, I don't know what it was like back then, but it made me wonder.

The relationship between Sheridan (who I almost always enjoyed on screen, and do here) suffers when she finds out O'Brien is the "cop" supervising her brother, although in the end she develops a better perspective on that.

So Bogart, once again with black hair, escapes from a work gang with another convict, gets in an accident, and he is the only one that survives. Okay. And he makes it back to his sister's place, shoots O'Brien, who still has sympathy for him Hmmmmmmmmmm. Then he leaves and get shot and wanders back to the prison to turn himself in even though he knows he is dying, so that he can tell them how right O'Brien is about his methods of running the prison. Double hmmmmmmm. Frankly, while the film was mostly doing okay until the climax began approaching, I think it just got kinda silly. If not stupid.

Everybody's acting was pretty decent EXCEPT Barton MacLane -- not a very versatile actor to begin with -- but who is downright lousy in this film.

A disappointing B Movie.

[FrankG47 · 5/10 · 13 September 2011]

When Bogie once said he made more stinkers than any other actor in Hollywood, one can laugh, but sadly San Quentin can also be one of those stinkers.

With an all star cat of O'Brien, Sheridan, and Bogart; it's hard to really think of this film being a let down.

In a prison drama with Pat O'Brien taking over, and Bogart's typical 1930's gangster role being thrown in the pen, it's not the actors fault in this movie. Red (Bogart) is as all other gangsters he played in most films from these days, a bad seed. O'Brien is the officer in charge of the prison but really not a bad guy, while dating Red's sister (Ann Sheridan), Red is slowly planning an escape from the prison.

Surely it's not one you can remember Bogie by as he was not given much to work with from the start, and Ann Sheridan was in many gangster related pictures, San Quentin falls in the category of the forgettable ones from the classic Hollywood era. I give this movie a 5 out of 10 just for the strong cast. It has a good outline plot but it's poorly executed and serves as a missed opportunity of things that could have worked in this film. Overall if you're collecting Bogart's movies, this is one you can watch and line up on the shelf.

Prison Drama.

[AaronCapenBanner · 6/10 · 3 November 2013]

Lloyd Bacon directed this prison drama that stars Humphrey Bogart as Joe 'Red' Kennedy, who is a new convict at San Quentin now run by new Captain of the guards Jameson(played by Pat O' Brian) who wants to institute reforms to help rehabilitation. By coincidence, he is also romancing Joe's sister May(played by Ann Sheridan). When Joe is misinformed about Jameson's intentions, he foolishly breaks out to stop him, but after realizing his mistake, tries desperately to make amends... OK drama has good performances from the cast compensating for the thin and unoriginal story, which is still entertaining enough to succeed, though not one of Bogart's best.