Edward G. Robinson stars as a convicted murderer who, in the process of being executed, relives the events that have led up to the last two seconds of his life.
Robinson is John Allen, a riveter who lives with his best friend, Bud Clark (Preston Foster). Bud is a sometimes wild and crazy guy who loves to party and John is a VERY conservative man who is shy and introverted.
John meets a dance hall girl named Shirley Day (Vivienne Osborne) and falls for her. She tricks him into getting drunk and then marrying her. She wants his money, of course. Bud is shocked by this and tries to convince John he should dump the woman and the two have an argument on a high rise during working hours.
Bud accidentally falls to his death and John is so taken with grief that he cannot go back to work. The heartless Shirley begins to hate John and she soon turns to her old job of prostitution to support them.
John's life spirals out of control and he eventually kills Shirley, which brings us back to his being in the electric chair. Robinson was excellent at playing helpless saps caught in a mess they never created, and here is no exception.
His character goes from a life loving man to a helpless, mentally crushed and destroyed man all because of an evil woman. This is a great picture that once you start watching you really get involved in this man's plight.
I believe this is also on DVD from Warner Archive and if you can find it or it shows again in TCM I would highly recommend this unsung gem of the early 30's.
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