Murder In The First

Marc Rocco, USA 1995, 123 minutes

Based on a true story Murder in the First depicts the story of Henry Young (Kevin Bacon), a young offender incarcerated for stealing five dollars from a post office to feed his starving sister. Set in the depression era, Young escapes only to be caught and then subjected to three years of solitary confinement and unbearable torture inflicted by the prison guards (see Gary Oldman on top form) and warden.

Upon Young's release he murders the prisoner who tipped the authorities off about his escape. James Stamphill (Christian Slater) acts as Young's defence lawyer, and starts to unfold the truth about what has happened to this prisoner whilst at Alcatraz Prison.

In the lead role Kevin Bacon gives one of his best performances to date, the detail and effort that went into his becoming Henry Young should be acknowleged.

To say that the cinematography was tame, would be a lie. In fact some of the scenes set in Alcatraz are particularly disturbing.

The rest of the film is essentially a courtroom drama, brought to life by Christian Slater as James Stamphill, a new defence lawyer given Young's case as "a lost cause". Stamphill however does not accept this verdict and fights Young's case, changing the course of Alcatraz Prison and the various authorities associated with it in the process. The case was the beginning of the 20 year downfall of Alcatraz Prison, finally closed after Frank Morris's 1962 escape.

Review by Mark Bauer
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98