Based on a novel by Malcolm Braly who did time in various prisons himself. Braly died a few years after this movie was released.
It was a run off gritty movies about prison life in the late 1970s and early 80s. Brubaker and Escape from Alcatraz come to mind.
Trouble starts for wife murderer Juleson (John Heard) who buys cigarettes on credit from a Chilly (Thomas G Waites.) He is the inmate who runs the show when it comes to contraband. Chilly has the heavies as back up and pay offs to the guards.
Only the promised money from Juleson's aunt does not arrive. Now Chilly needs to make an example out of him or he will lose face.
Blake (Lane Smith) the prison captain is out to get Chilly. He puts pressure on Juleson to grass Chilly up which he refuses to do.
On the Yard is a grim and downbeat film but tones down the violence. It wants to be a character piece with multiple storylines.
Red one of Chilly's heavies, a veteran jailbird is hoping to get parole. Morris is panning tom escape on a hot air balloon. Gasoline is another heavy that Chilly orders to attack Paulson.
The trouble is a lot of these plot threads get lost. Even the central story is underwhelming.
It is worth it for several understated performances.
