By Glenn Erickson
Over the Wall
Brief Synopsis
A prison chaplain tries to help a man framed for murder prove his innocence.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Frank Macdonald
Director
Dick Foran
Jerry Davis
June Travis
Kay Norton
John Litel
Father Neil Connor
Dick Purcell
Ace Scanlon
Veda Ann Borg
Maxine
Film Details
Also Known As
Evidence, One More Tomorrow
Genre
Drama
Musical
Prison
Release Date
Apr
2,
1938
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 6m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
8 reels
Synopsis
Quick-tempered Jerry Davis is determined to be a boxer. When his manager, Eddie Edwards, does not offer him a match, Jerry starts throwing furniture around. To stop him, Eddie promises him a match, but then sends the police to arrest him. As a favor to Jerry's parents, Duke, a policeman, lets Jerry off with a warning. Jerry's parents and his finacee, Kay Norton, are opposed to his boxing. One afternoon, when Jerry and Kay are at the beach, Eddie introduces him to gangster Ace Scanlon, in a way that implies he has a hold on Scanlon. Eddie finally promises Jerry a match, but unknown to Jerry, Eddie has supplied his opponent with brass knuckles, and Jerry is knocked out immediately. Later, Jerry learns that Eddie fixed the game and confronts him at Scanlon's apartment. Jerry knocks Eddie out, but after Jerry leaves, Scanlon sees an opportunity to get rid of Eddie and kills him by hitting him on the head. Jerry is arrested for Eddie's murder, convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison. Because he believes that he is innocent, Jerry refuses to cooperate with prison rules. Father Neil Connor, the prison chaplain, talks to Kay, hoping that she will influence Jerry to accept his help. Kay says that she, too, believes Jerry is innocent and has taken a job in Scanlon's office to find proof. Soon after, Jerry rescues someone from the boiler room just before it explodes. Father Connor praises his actions, but Jerry rejects his support. When Connor hears Jerry sing, he suggests that he solo in church. He also points out that Jerry's voice might provide him with a career. Jerry does sing in church and soon is singing over the radio. Then Gyp Hatton, Scanlon's right-hand man, is sent to prison. He is injured and sent to the hospital where Jerry works. Believing he is on his death bed, Gyp confesses Scanlon's part in the murder. Before Jerry can get the doctor as another witness, however, Gyp dies. Meanwhile, Kay overhears Maxine, Scanlon's former girl friend, threaten to tell the district attorney about Eddie's murder. She approaches Father Connor and the warden with her story and eventually convinces them to ask the governor to reopen the case. While they are talking to the governor, Jerry escapes from prison and heads for Scanlon's apartment. They struggle and Jerry wrests Scanlon's gun away from him. Before he can kill Scanlon, Father Connor arrives, and together they knock Scanlon out until the police come. The governor pardons Jerry and everything is set for his new career as a singer.
Director
Frank Macdonald
Director
Cast
Dick Foran
Jerry Davis
June Travis
Kay Norton
John Litel
Father Neil Connor
Dick Purcell
Ace Scanlon
Veda Ann Borg
Maxine
George E. Stone
Gyp [Hatton]
Ward Bond
Eddie Edwards
John Hamilton
Warden
Jonathan Hale
Governor
Tommy Bupp
Jimmy Davis
Robert Homans
John Davis
Mabel Hart
Mrs. Davis
Raymond Hatton
Convict
Alan Davis
Joe
Eddie Chandler
Keeper
Wilfred Lucas
Keeper
Henry Otho
Bruiser
Don Turner
Loogan
Tom Wilson
Proprietor
Frank Shannon
Duke
Priscilla Lyon
Little girl
Cliff Saum
Officer
Jack Richardson
Attendant
Fred Hamilton
Attendant
Jimmy O'gatty
Roebeck
Larry Mcgrath
Announcer
Glen Cavender
Referee
Jimmy Conlin
Jerry's handler
Joe Cunningham
Roebeck's handler
Lee Phelps
Patrol officer
Herbert Rawlinson
Prosecutor
Leyland Hodgson
Defense counsel
Sam Flint
Judge
Stuart Holmes
Foreman
Frank Marlowe
Photographer
Louis Natheaux
Fingerprint man
Jack Wise
Clothesbox trusty
Kernan Cripps
Guard
Lee Shumway
Guard
Allen Mathews
Guard
Brady Kline
Guard
Huey White
Tough convict
Mike Lally
Tough convict
Lane Chandler
First guard
Galan Galt
Second guard
Sol Gorss
Hospital trusty
Jack Mower
Clerk
Anderson Lawler
Hysterical convict
Bruce Mitchell
Detective
Hal Craig
Detective
William Crowell
Convict
Al Herman
Convict
Jeffrey Sayre
Convict
Jack Gardner
Convict
William Marceau
Prison doctor
Elliott Sullivan
Chic Metzer
Harry Hollingsworth
Cop
Charles Jordan
Convict trusty
Dick Wessel
Convict trusties
David Newell
Governor's secretary
John Hiestand
Radio announcer
Sandra Ramoy
Carole Landis
Eleanor Bailey
Crew
Frank Beckwith
Dialogue Director
George Bricker
Original Screenplay
Alphonse De Lamartine
Composer
Bryan Foy
Associate Producer
Charles Gounod
Composer
Esdras Hartley
Art Director
Jesse Hibbs
Assistant Director
M. K. Jerome
Composer
Stanley Jones
Sound
Warden Lewis E. Lawes
[Wrt] by
Frank Magee
Film Editor
Charles Perry
Contr to dial
Jack Scholl
Composer
Howard Shoup
Gowns
James Van Trees
Photography
Jack L. Warner
Executive Producer
Crane Wilbur
Original Screenplay
Film Details
Also Known As
Evidence, One More Tomorrow
Genre
Drama
Musical
Prison
Release Date
Apr
2,
1938
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Distribution Company
Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 6m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
8 reels
Articles
Over the Wall -
Associate producer Bryan Foy once again teams Dick Purcell, June Travis and John Litel for another derivative Warners program picture. But star billing for the prison film Over the Wall (1938) goes to the former band singer Dick Foran. Given leading roles mostly in westerns - where he was sometimes billed as Dick Foran the Singing Cowboy - the handsome man with the smooth voice would soon be providing comic support in the James Cagney-Pat O'Brien comedy Boy Meets Girl (1938), lampooning himself as a dimwitted cowboy star. The story for the drama Over the Wall is by Warden Lewis E. Lawes, who had written Warners' pre-Code hit 20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932). The earlier studio trend of social criticism having all but vanished, Dick Foran's prison stretch is pictured as an uplifting experience that teaches spiritual values. A gangster (Purcell) frames the hotheaded young boxer Jerry (Foran) for the murder of his manager (Ward Bond). Filled with hate, Jerry bucks the rules of the prison system until a dedicated Chaplain (Litel) gets him into the prison choir. Jerry is soon crooning songs of faith on the radio, but his problems aren't over yet. His dedicated girl (Travis) is helping to clear his name when he foolishly breaks out to prove his innocence. Church groups and the censors didn't mind an insulting plot that solves a convict's problems by having him become a radio star. Jerry sings several songs by M.K. Jerome and Jack Scholl, as well as 'Ave Maria'. The New York Times critic noted that Over the Wall was pleasantly calm for a prison film, and added that, 'No man need fear Sing Sing, unless he just can't carry a tune.'
By Glenn Erickson
By Glenn Erickson
Over the Wall -
Associate producer Bryan Foy once again teams Dick Purcell, June Travis and John Litel for another derivative Warners program picture. But star billing for the prison film Over the Wall (1938) goes to the former band singer Dick Foran. Given leading roles mostly in westerns - where he was sometimes billed as Dick Foran the Singing Cowboy - the handsome man with the smooth voice would soon be providing comic support in the James Cagney-Pat O'Brien comedy Boy Meets Girl (1938), lampooning himself as a dimwitted cowboy star. The story for the drama Over the Wall is by Warden Lewis E. Lawes, who had written Warners' pre-Code hit 20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932). The earlier studio trend of social criticism having all but vanished, Dick Foran's prison stretch is pictured as an uplifting experience that teaches spiritual values. A gangster (Purcell) frames the hotheaded young boxer Jerry (Foran) for the murder of his manager (Ward Bond). Filled with hate, Jerry bucks the rules of the prison system until a dedicated Chaplain (Litel) gets him into the prison choir. Jerry is soon crooning songs of faith on the radio, but his problems aren't over yet. His dedicated girl (Travis) is helping to clear his name when he foolishly breaks out to prove his innocence. Church groups and the censors didn't mind an insulting plot that solves a convict's problems by having him become a radio star. Jerry sings several songs by M.K. Jerome and Jack Scholl, as well as 'Ave Maria'. The New York Times critic noted that Over the Wall was pleasantly calm for a prison film, and added that, 'No man need fear Sing Sing, unless he just can't carry a tune.'
By Glenn Erickson
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Before its release, the film was entitled One More Tomorrow and Evidence.
