The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains

Nicely cast, well-directed film, and a fitting "last hurrah" for the magnificent character actor Elisha Cook Jr, who plays Kilmer's aging mentor on the chain gang. Cook, best remembered for his portrayal of "Wilmer" (the cheap little gunsel) in THE MALTESE FALCON, does his usual superb supporting work.

KIlmer does a fine job, not falling into the obvious trap of going "over the top" -- which might be an understandable portrayal if this were fiction, but Kilmer's (like Muni's) somewhat subdued performance is much more in keeping with the real-life character's personality. Both versions drive me a bit nuts because I keep wanting him to kill his wife, who turned him in out of pure vindictiveness.