The Prisoner of Shark Island

1936
Approved
1h 36m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Warner Baxter in The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936)

The story of Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was imprisoned after innocently treating President Lincoln's assassin in 1865.The story of Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was imprisoned after innocently treating President Lincoln's assassin in 1865.The story of Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was imprisoned after innocently treating President Lincoln's assassin in 1865.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

2.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win

Trivia
On the envelope Buck hands to Mudd in prison, the prop department took the time and effort to get the correct 1861 Washington three-cent stamp and the spiral cancellation mark as well.

Goofs
Booth is seen entering the President's theater box on the President's left; he even opens the door first to make sure the President is there. He then shoots him at a distance of at least 5 feet, again from Lincoln's left side. In reality, Booth entered the box from behind the President, and shot him at very close range in the back of the head. Also, in real life Booth shot Lincoln immediately after the line "...you sockdolagizing old mantrap!", thus insuring that the audience laughter would drown out the sound of the shot (Booth was very familiar with the play and knew just when to shoot). In the film, the line in question is uttered before Booth has even made his way into the box.

Quotes
Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd: Once before I was a doctor. I'm still a doctor.

Alternate versions
Since this film has never been released to the video market in the USA, the only version available for home entertainment is an Argentinean VHS edition that was lifted from a 16mm print. Although the film plays in English with Spanish language subtitles, the credits and all signs and letters shown in the picture were redone in Spanish. The name of this version is "Prisionero del destino".

Connections
Featured in Directed by John Ford (1971)

Soundtracks
Dixie's Land
(uncredited)
Written by Daniel Decatur Emmett
Played over the opening credits
Reprised by the Union Army band at Lincoln's request
Played as background music often.

User reviews42

Review

Featured review

8/10

Leave Hope Behind Who Enters Here

On 09 April 1865, John Wilkes Booth (Francis McDonald) breaks his leg after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln (Frank McGlynn Sr.). He flees with an accomplice and once in Maryland, they seek medical treatment with the country Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd (Warner Baxter) that does not know that his patient has murdered the president.

Dr. Mudd is arrested by the army for helping John Wilkes Booth and together with seven other suspects, they are sent to a military court without civil rights. Dr. Mudd is a scapegoat and sentenced to life imprisonment in the hopeless prison in the Dry Tortugas, in Gulf of Mexico. When the prison is isolated due to a yellow fever epidemic, Dr. Mudd helps the guards and the other prisoners to cure the disease.

"The Prisoner of Shark Island" is a great biographical drama by John Ford, telling a tale of injustice and recognition of a nation with a family man that is sentenced to a life sentence in a devil's island of the Nineteenth Century in Gulf of Mexico. The story is engaging and supported by magnificent performances and direction. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Prisioneiro da Ilha dos Tubarões" ("The Prisoner of Shark Island")