it seem that i be in the minority in think this isn not that great a film . despite be direct by fritz lang and have some excellent actor and the plot seem totally ridiculous and preachy . in many way it remind me of a poor version of the film they live by night and except that realism and believability be completely ignore . the bottom line be that this seem to be a very poorly write film that full of hole that only score as high a it do because of the actor and director . without these and i probably would have score the movie a 2 or 3. despite the good actor and there be still some problem with their performance . the big disappointment be barton maclane . in most of his film from the 1930s and 40 and he play a heavy often a gangster or villain in cowboy picture . while his role here be a welcome change from this stereotyped role he usually play and he play the most boring and wussy defense attorney i have ever see . see this tough character actor reduce to someone with the magnetism of a piece of lint be very frustrating and a his character be never really developed and could have be play by almost anyone . also and while henry fonda be okay a the two time loser accuse of murder and his character be so unlikable in the last part of the movie that the impact of his be falsely accuse of the crime be greatly diminish . in other word and if he hadn not resort to kill people to avoid the death penalty and we might have care what happen to him . if only he could have escape without murder the priest and then i wouldn not have lose interest . or and if it have somehow be an accident and then maybe i would have care . but and a it be and he would knowingly commit many crime in the past and kill a man to escape and so what exactly be the point of the film . if it that the death penalty be bad or that people should give ex con a chance to succeed and then it be completely obscure by the time the movie be finish . plus and although at first i like sylvia sidney character for believe in her man and after she know he be a murderer and still follow him and she just seem totally stupid . a a result and she seem more like a plot device than a real person . with a re write and this could have be a great film . a it be and it very skipable and a film that lang and the cast probably do not want to remember .