The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains (1987 TV Movie) User Reviews

A great television film, with superb acting by Kilmer

[SteveSkafte · 8/10 · 17 September 2008]

Like many TV movies, "The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains" has suffered an unfortunate fading into obscurity through no fault of its own. Truly, this film is every bit as good as the Paul Muni original, if only a bit less for being the second go-around.

Director Daniel Mann gives the film a real edge, a surprising sense of desperation from a director who spent a career filming melodramas like "The Rose Tattoo" (1955). In fact, it was his last film before passing away at the age of 78 in 1991. He gives the film real claustrophobia and suspense.

This is one of Val Kilmer's best roles, and he makes you believe he's really experiencing all of this. As the warden, Charles Durning is very menacing, digging his heels into every ounce of hatefulness he can drag out his character. It's an excellent performance. The female roles are well-played within their limits, but the other real standout performance is from James Keach. I always felt that James was every bit as good an actor as brother Stacy, and was quite disappointed when he quit acting for a rather mediocre directing career (save for the stunning "The Stars Fell on Henrietta").

The script is very dark, providing few moments of light. Even in civilian life, Eliot Burns finds his life constantly unraveling. I began to believe that Burns got into trouble more through his lack of foresight than his lack of luck. Overall, it's a very good picture, and an excellent historical document of the chain gang life - nearly as good as "Cool Hand Luke" (1967).

RATING: 7.6 out of 10

Harrowing but brilliantly done

[kurt_messick · 8/10 · 21 December 2005]

This is a film based on a true story, the story of Robert Burns, a World War I veteran who fell upon hard times, turned to petty crime in a point of desperation, and then went through the harrowing experience of the Southern prison system, with all the inhumanities that are attendant to that. Deprivations and cruel punishments abounded, as prisoners were literally whipped to death and set to work at back-breaking labour on chain gangs. At a certain point, Burns escaped, and finding a new life in a Northern state, became a prosperous businessman, still ever mindful of his escapee status. Burns, being assured of the justice of the system and that such inhumanities would not happen again, was led to seek to clarify his status by returning to the South, only to be absorbed once more into the inhuman system. However, this time his public profile was known around the country, and his cause became a cause célèbre. It forced a change in the prison system that remains a turning point in the humane treatment of prisoners to this day.

This film is based upon Robert Burns' own book, 'I am Fugitive from the Georgia Chain Gang'. Directed by Daniel Mann, the story stars Val Kilmer in a remarkably full role, with powerful performances by Charles Durning, Kyra Sedgwick and Elisha Cook Jr. (a veteran actor whose credits include 'The Maltese Falcon' and 'Sergeant York', in this his final role). The scenes are often breathtaking for their brutality and realism, and the overall tone is very true to life, albeit a reality we often want to hide from.

This is a rare film, not yet available on DVD, but one well worth watching, particularly for those who are interested in American history of a different sort.

Good, solid remake of the Paul Muni classic

[smokehill retrievers · 8/10 · 4 November 2001]

Nicely cast, well-directed film, and a fitting "last hurrah" for the magnificent character actor Elisha Cook Jr, who plays Kilmer's aging mentor on the chain gang. Cook, best remembered for his portrayal of "Wilmer" (the cheap little gunsel) in THE MALTESE FALCON, does his usual superb supporting work.

KIlmer does a fine job, not falling into the obvious trap of going "over the top" -- which might be an understandable portrayal if this were fiction, but Kilmer's (like Muni's) somewhat subdued performance is much more in keeping with the real-life character's personality. Both versions drive me a bit nuts because I keep wanting him to kill his wife, who turned him in out of pure vindictiveness.

Heartbreaking Drama

[Blueghost · 1 May 2016]

This was one of the first HBO productions I ever saw, in spite of having HBO for several years. I was spell bound by it.

A man wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit, and subjected to the absolute worst period in American penitentiary history.

The kangaroo court, the false testimony, the trumped up charge, the brutalization of an honest man "doing time" shackled to other convicts, and the brutality of the labor itself of "making small rocks out of big rocks."

Based on a true story of how a tragic miscarriage of justice absolutely destroyed an honest man's life. A man who fought for us, for Uncle Sam, for the nation, and was rewarded with misery for most of his life.

You will shake your head, and perhaps shed a tear at Val Kilmer's depiction of an individual who fought back the only way he could.

It is almost a crime that this film is not available to view again. In time I'm sure it will be made available to the public once more.

Rarely do I recommend films about men who have gotten a rotten lot in life, but this is a must see.

The tragic truth is that we still have some miscarriages of justice today, but the US and friendly nations are a bit more methodical in both investigation and meting out appropriate punishments. Even so, there are those who still fall through the cracks. This films looks at a day and age when lots of people fell through the cracks, and tragic consequences thereof.

It is a film about strength of character, and the will to survive with hope that it will all work out in the end.

I won't say "enjoy it", because it's a tough watch. But in my book it is a must see.

Predictable but gripping

[rps-2 · 7/10 · 9 May 2000]

This is a well produced and gripping film that effectively captures both the period and the grim reality of a Georgia prison camp. As soon as he met Emily, you just knew what would happen. But it's still worth a watch. I think I spotted one goof. In one scene in 1929 there is a dial telephone. I don't believe they were introduced until the thirties. Also there were not the sort of radio newscasts in the twenties that were used to advance the story. But both are small points in an otherwise excellent film.

Intense and great acting

[Doc-Holiday · 10/10 · 8 January 2004]

Just saw this movie on VHS. I had no idea what kind of movie it was before I pushed "play", so it turned out to be a very intense movie and wouldn't let you go.

Val's character was a regular veteran, and he played it like a regular guy too, no overacting. Because the character was so real, the following prison and labor scenes contrasted greatly with the ordinary character and made them even more dramatic than in an action movie.

At times it was just unbearable to watch and I had to FF it, not because it was bad, on the contrary, because they were so good and real. Other than Val's excellently subdued performance, the supporting casts did well too.

The acting was top notch, story line was flawless, and the ending was justified but not Hollywood typical. So it's a very well done movie, worth watching it.

Great Prison movie

[carl-valdez-88 · 8/10 · 4 July 2020]

This movie, along with Escape From Alcatraz, developed my love for the Prison Movie genre. One of Val Kilmer's better performances. Filmed like a TV movie of it's era, the story is intriguing (based on a true story!). It took me a while to actually find a digital version of this movie. If you like prison movies, you'll love this one.

Empathy-provoking film

[sous_les_arbre · 8/10 · 26 February 2007]

I was really touched by the realism in this movie. Kilmer portrayed an average guy, like any you or I might know, who gets thrown into a completely brutal environment. I found myself wanting to shout at the screen for the injustice of it! Kilmer looks just like someone close to me, which gave me even more empathy for his character. He could have been my brother, and I think the movie would have stirred up the same feelings of compassion.

The brutality of this film was actually a bit much for me, but so was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I thought parts of the movie were a little too gory.

I enjoyed all of what I didn't have to shield my eyes for. Well--enjoyed is a strange word for this movie--I appreciated it.

This movie still haunts me, decades later.

[jeff-a-green · 10/10 · 8 April 2022]

Not only do I consider this to be Val's best performance, but I consider it to be the most touching. There are no surprises to be had. It's a gut wrenching and honest indictment of jursisprudence at it's most brutal. I consider it a crime that there is no way to even buy this anymore.