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Crime thriller

Prison Break (1938): Cast & Plot

Prison Break (1938) movie poster

Prison Break is a 1938 crime thriller directed by Arthur Lubin, starring Barton MacLane as Joaquin Shannon, Constance Moore and Edmund MacDonald. It runs 1 hour 12 minutes.

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Prison Break (1938) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 12m (72 min)
Director
Arthur Lubin
Genres
Crime , Thriller , Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Prison Break About?

The premise of Prison Break without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

After a tuna fisherman is falsely convicted of murder, his model conduct earns him eligibility for early parole. Yet he discovers that parole would restrict his freedom and prevent him from marrying his love. Determined to clear his name, he plans a daring escape to track down the true killer himself.

Prison Break Themes & Keywords

· 30 tags
  • deception
  • parole
  • prison
  • fishing boat
  • convict
  • escape from prison
  • murder
  • fisherman
  • pacific ocean
  • tuna boat
  • two word title
  • priest
+18 more
  • killer
  • death
  • ex convict
  • cell mate
  • prison guard
  • prison warden
  • san quentin
  • california
  • stock footage
  • b movie
  • ocean
  • marriage
  • convicted
  • escape from jail
  • united states of america
  • prison sentence
  • manslaughter
  • 1930s
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Cast & crew

Prison Break Cast & Characters

Barton MacLane leads the cast as Joaquin Shannon, with Constance Moore as Maria Shannon and Edmund MacDonald as Chris Nelson. Directed by Arthur Lubin; 14 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Prison Break

· 10 more
From the director

More from Arthur Lubin

More films directed by Arthur Lubin: Hold On!, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Escapade in Japan and The First Traveling Saleslady.

Full filmography
Plot

Prison Break Plot Summary

What happens in Prison Break from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Joaquin Shannon, a fisherman, steps forward to bear the blame for a crime to protect his brother-in-law Chris Nelson, whom he believes accidentally killed Joe Fenderson in a drunken brawl. In truth, Joe died from injuries he sustained during a mugging. The decision seals Joaquin’s fate, and he is sentenced to 10 years in a distant prison. As the cell doors close, Joaquin begs Jean Fenderson and Joe Fenderson to wait for him, clinging to a fragile hope that good behavior might shave years off his sentence and bring him back to the life he left behind.

Full summary

The whole story of Prison Break, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Prison Break?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is Joaquin Shannon's profession before his imprisonment?

Seen Prison Break?

FAQ

Prison Break FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Prison Break, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Prison Break?

Prison Break runs 1 hour 12 minutes (72 minutes).

When was Prison Break released?

Prison Break was released on July 12, 1938.

Who directed Prison Break?

Prison Break was directed by Arthur Lubin.

More films by Arthur Lubin

Who is in the cast of Prison Break?

Prison Break stars Barton MacLane as Joaquin Shannon, Constance Moore as Maria Shannon and Edmund MacDonald as Chris Nelson, among 14 credited actors.

Does Prison Break have a post-credit scene?

No. Prison Break has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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