Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison 1951

Set in the 1920s, long before the 1944 California prison reform, Warden Ben Rickey runs Folsom Prison with an iron hand. He views incarceration as punishment rather than rehabilitation, and his methods are violent, torturous, and designed to crush any hint of defiance. A hardened inmate, Chuck Daniels, and his followers plot an escape, testing Rickey’s grip. When a thwarted attempt leads to a riot, the warden responds with even harsher punishments, tightening the screws on everyone tied to the incident.

To counter the rising violence and brutality, the prison’s board hires Mark Benson as captain of the guards. Benson believes that even serious criminals deserve a chance to change, and that rehabilitation can reduce recidivism. He begins to overhaul daily life inside the walls: meals that include meat, conversations allowed during meals, and intensive rehabilitation initiatives such as job placement and other supports to help prisoners rejoin society. He also transforms guard culture—insisting on professional conduct, clean uniforms, and a break from the routine beatings that had sparked fear and rebellion.

This reformist stance puts him at odds with Rickey, and ultimately Benson steps down. With his departure, Rickey reverses the reforms and returns to the old punitive regime. The inmates, sensing weakness, launch another escape attempt, sparking a fresh riot in which many inmates and guards are fatally wounded.

The film ultimately explores the clash between punitive authority and reform-minded approaches within the prison system.