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{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = My Six Convicts
| name = My Six Convicts
| image_size = 250px
| image = My Six Convicts FilmPoster.jpeg
| image = My Six Convicts FilmPoster.jpeg
| caption =
| caption =
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| producer = [[Edna and Edward Anhalt]]<br>(associate producers)
| producer = [[Edna and Edward Anhalt]]<br>(associate producers)
| screenplay = [[Michael Blankfort]]
| screenplay = [[Michael Blankfort]]
| based_on = the book by<br>Donald Powell Wilson
| based_on = Book by Donald Powell Wilson
| starring = [[Millard Mitchell]]<br>[[Gilbert Roland]]<br>[[John Beal (actor)|John Beal]]<br>[[Marshall Thompson]]
| starring = [[Millard Mitchell]]<br>[[Gilbert Roland]]<br>[[John Beal (actor)|John Beal]]<br>[[Marshall Thompson]]
| music = [[Dimitri Tiomkin]]
| music = [[Dimitri Tiomkin]]
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| gross = $1.1 million (US rentals)<ref>'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', ''Variety'', January 7, 1953</ref>
| gross = $1.1 million (US rentals)<ref>'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', ''Variety'', January 7, 1953</ref>
}}
}}
'''''My Six Convicts''''' is a 1952 American [[film noir]] [[crime film|crime]] [[drama (film and television)|drama]] film adapted from the autobiographical book written by Donald Powell Wilson (titled "My Six Convicts: A Psychologist's Three Years in [[Fort Leavenworth]]"). The film was adapted for the screen by [[Michael Blankfort]] and directed by [[Hugo Fregonese]].
'''''My Six Convicts''''' is a 1952 American [[film noir]] [[crime film|crime]] [[drama (film and television)|drama]] directed by [[Hugo Fregonese]]. The screenplay was adapted by [[Michael Blankfort]] from the autobiographical book ''My Six Convicts: A Psychologist's Three Years in [[Fort Leavenworth]]'', written by Donald Powell Wilson.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}


The film stars [[Millard Mitchell]], [[Gilbert Roland]], [[John Beal (actor)|John Beal]] and [[Marshall Thompson]]. Mitchell won a [[Golden Globe Award]] for his performance.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
While vintage prints of Wilson's text can be found online,<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=My+Six+Convicts My Six Convicts in All Departments at amazon.com]</ref> the film adaptation has never seen a home video release. As such, it has almost faded into obscurity, and it is primarily remembered for [[Millard Mitchell]] having won a [[Golden Globe Award]] for his performance as Connie.


==Plot==
==Plot==
Prison psychologist Doc attempts to help his incarcerated patients.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
''My Six Convicts'' is the true story of a prison psychologist ([[John Beal (actor)|John Beal]]) and his attempts to get through to his incarcerated patients. While dealing with serious issues, the film was created in comedic form. While the film is true to the overall spirit of the book, dramatic license was taken with the adaptation and certain events (e.g., the failed prison break and the resulting death of an innocent inmate) are fictional and were created solely to add dramatic elements to the film.


==Cast==
==Cast==
Line 43: Line 42:
*[[Byron Foulger]] as Dr. Brint
*[[Byron Foulger]] as Dr. Brint
*[[Charles Bronson]] as Jocko (credited as Charles Buchinsky)
*[[Charles Bronson]] as Jocko (credited as Charles Buchinsky)
'''Uncredited'''
{|class=wikitable

|+Uncredited (in order of appearance)
⚫
* [[Wesley Addy]] as Convict
|-
|[[Jack Carr (animator)|Jack Carr]]||Harry Higgins
* [[Jack Carr (animator)|Jack Carr]] as Harry Higgins
⚫
* [[Dick Curtis]] as Guard
|-
|[[George Eldredge]]||Convict #3
* [[George Eldredge]] as Convict #3
⚫
* [[Fred Kelsey]] as Store detective
|-
⚫
* [[Shirley Mills]] as Blonde Tilly
⚫
|[[Dick Curtis]]||Guard
⚫
* [[Frank Mitchell (actor)|Frank Mitchell]] as Convict #3007
|-
|[[Billy Nelson (actor)|Billy Nelson]]||Guard
* [[Billy Nelson (actor)|Billy Nelson]] as Guard
⚫
* [[Joe Palma]] as Convict driver
|-
⚫
* [[Eddie Parker (actor)|Eddie Parker]] as Guard on dump trunk
|[[Barney Phillips]]||Baker, the foreman
* [[Barney Phillips]] as Baker, the foreman
|-
* Carol Savage as Mrs. Randall
⚫
|[[Joe Palma]]||Convict driver
⚫
* [[Charles Sullivan (actor)|Charles Sullivan]] as Driscoll
|-

⚫
|[[Eddie Parker (actor)|Eddie Parker]]||Guard on dump trunk
== Style ==
|-
While dealing with serious issues, the film conveys a comedic tone. The film is true to the overall spirit of the book upon which it is based, but [[Artistic license|dramatic license]] was taken with certain events that were created solely to add dramatic elements. For example, the failed prison break and the resulting death of an innocent inmate are fictional plot points not found in Donald Powell Wilson's book,{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} although the book may itself contain plot contrivances.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sokolsky |first=George |date=1951-09-23 |title='My Six Convicts' No Book To Take Seriously |pages=6 |work=[[Argus Leader]] |location=[[Sioux Falls, South Dakota]]}}</ref>
⚫
|[[Charles Sullivan (actor)|Charles Sullivan]]||Driscoll

|-
== Production ==
⚫
|[[Wesley Addy]]||Convict
The film was shot on location at [[San Quentin State Prison]], where warden [[Clinton Truman Duffy|Clinton Duffy]] had implemented reforms that sought to rehabilitate prisoners much in the same way as does the Doc character.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fidler |first=Jimmie |date=1951-10-12 |title='My Six Convicts' Is Important Picture |pages=6–D |work=[[The Durham Sun]]}}</ref>
|-

⚫
|[[Frank Mitchell (actor)|Frank Mitchell]]||Convict #3007
Because of San Quentin's strict policy prohibiting women from entering the inner prison area, a short prison guard was asked to impersonate the Mrs. Randall character in [[Wide shot|long shots]]. Actress Carol Savage portrayed the character in closeup studio shots.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1952-01-15 |title=Pint-Sized Prison Guard Doubles for Actress |pages=9–A |work=[[The Charlotte Observer]]}}</ref>
|-

⚫
|[[Fred Kelsey]]||Store detective
Musical director [[Dimitri Tiomkin]] visited [[Sing Sing]] prison to hear the prisoners' band and songs sung by the prisoners in preparation for his film score.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1951-07-27 |title=Around and about the film studios |pages=2 |work=Paddington Mercury |location=[[London, England]]}}</ref>
|-

⚫
|[[Shirley Mills]]||Blonde Tilly
== Reception ==
|}
In a contemporary review for ''[[The New York Times]]'', critic [[A. H. Weiler]] wrote: "... [P]enology, psychology and crime have been blended into a compassionate, thoughtful, incisive and, above all, genuinely humorous account of life behind prison walls. ... There may be doubters who will scoff at the possibility of a convict such as Connie being permitted to leave the penitentiary (under guard) to open a bank safe but as played by Millard Mitchell, who runs off with the acting honors, the facts are not particularly important."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Weiler |first=A. H. |date=1952-03-28 |title=The Screen: Three Films Have Premieres |page=27 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

Director [[Hugo Fregonese]] received fan letters from prison inmates and said, "I'm flattered. After all, these are the first fan letters I've ever received."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hopper |first=Hedda |date=1952-01-31 |title=Hedda Hopper's Hollywood |pages=18 |work=[[Tucson Citizen]]}}</ref>


==Accolades==
==Accolades==
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| {{nom}}
| {{nom}}
|}
|}

== See also ==
* ''[[Do Aankhen Barah Haath]]'' (1957), [[Hindi cinema|Indian film]] directed by [[V Shantaram]].


==References==
==References==
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* {{IMDb title|id=0044940|title=My Six Convicts}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0044940|title=My Six Convicts}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|my-six-convicts}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|my-six-convicts}}
* {{Amg movie|103407|My Six Convicts}}
* {{AllMovie title|103407|My Six Convicts}}
* {{tcmdb title|id=334|title=My Six Convicts}}
* {{TCMDb title|id=334|title=My Six Convicts}}


{{Hugo Fregonese}}
{{Hugo Fregonese}}
{{Stanley Kramer}}


[[Category:1952 films]]
[[Category:1952 films]]
[[Category:1950s comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1952 comedy-drama films]]
⚫
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:American comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:American comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:American biographical drama films]]
[[Category:American biographical drama films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
⚫
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Dimitri Tiomkin]]
[[Category:Films scored by Dimitri Tiomkin]]
[[Category:Films based on biographies]]
[[Category:Films based on biographies]]
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[[Category:American prison drama films]]
[[Category:American prison drama films]]
[[Category:1950s prison films]]
[[Category:1950s prison films]]
[[Category:1952 comedy films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Hugo Fregonese]]
[[Category:1952 drama films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
⚫
[[Category:1950s American films]]

[[Category:English-language biographical drama films]]

{{comedy-drama-film-stub}}
[[Category:English-language comedy-drama films]]
⚫
[[Category:English-language crime films]]

Latest revision as of 18:16, 11 October 2024

My Six Convicts
Directed byHugo Fregonese
Screenplay byMichael Blankfort
Based onBook by Donald Powell Wilson
Produced byEdna and Edward Anhalt
(associate producers)
StarringMillard Mitchell
Gilbert Roland
John Beal
Marshall Thompson
CinematographyGuy Roe, A.S.C.
Edited byGene Havlick, A.C.E.
Music byDimitri Tiomkin
Production
company
Stanley Kramer Productions
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • March 20, 1952 (1952-03-20)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.1 million (US rentals)[1]

My Six Convicts is a 1952 American film noir crime drama directed by Hugo Fregonese. The screenplay was adapted by Michael Blankfort from the autobiographical book My Six Convicts: A Psychologist's Three Years in Fort Leavenworth, written by Donald Powell Wilson.[citation needed]

The film stars Millard Mitchell, Gilbert Roland, John Beal and Marshall Thompson. Mitchell won a Golden Globe Award for his performance.[citation needed]

Plot

[edit]

Prison psychologist Doc attempts to help his incarcerated patients.[citation needed]

Cast

[edit]

Uncredited

Style

[edit]

While dealing with serious issues, the film conveys a comedic tone. The film is true to the overall spirit of the book upon which it is based, but dramatic license was taken with certain events that were created solely to add dramatic elements. For example, the failed prison break and the resulting death of an innocent inmate are fictional plot points not found in Donald Powell Wilson's book,[citation needed] although the book may itself contain plot contrivances.[2]

Production

[edit]

The film was shot on location at San Quentin State Prison, where warden Clinton Duffy had implemented reforms that sought to rehabilitate prisoners much in the same way as does the Doc character.[3]

Because of San Quentin's strict policy prohibiting women from entering the inner prison area, a short prison guard was asked to impersonate the Mrs. Randall character in long shots. Actress Carol Savage portrayed the character in closeup studio shots.[4]

Musical director Dimitri Tiomkin visited Sing Sing prison to hear the prisoners' band and songs sung by the prisoners in preparation for his film score.[5]

Reception

[edit]

In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic A. H. Weiler wrote: "... [P]enology, psychology and crime have been blended into a compassionate, thoughtful, incisive and, above all, genuinely humorous account of life behind prison walls. ... There may be doubters who will scoff at the possibility of a convict such as Connie being permitted to leave the penitentiary (under guard) to open a bank safe but as played by Millard Mitchell, who runs off with the acting honors, the facts are not particularly important."[6]

Director Hugo Fregonese received fan letters from prison inmates and said, "I'm flattered. After all, these are the first fan letters I've ever received."[7]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Category Recipient(s) Result
Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor Millard Mitchell Won
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directing – Feature Film Hugo Fregonese Nominated

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', Variety, January 7, 1953
  2. ^ Sokolsky, George (1951-09-23). "'My Six Convicts' No Book To Take Seriously". Argus Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. p. 6.
  3. ^ Fidler, Jimmie (1951-10-12). "'My Six Convicts' Is Important Picture". The Durham Sun. pp. 6–D.
  4. ^ "Pint-Sized Prison Guard Doubles for Actress". The Charlotte Observer. 1952-01-15. pp. 9–A.
  5. ^ "Around and about the film studios". Paddington Mercury. London, England. 1951-07-27. p. 2.
  6. ^ Weiler, A. H. (1952-03-28). "The Screen: Three Films Have Premieres". The New York Times. p. 27.
  7. ^ Hopper, Hedda (1952-01-31). "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood". Tucson Citizen. p. 18.
[edit]
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