Customer Reviews

Man Who Broke 1000 Chains [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The first words that spring to mind when I think of this film is 'WOW'. Val Kilmer brings this character of Robert Elliot Burns to life, probably too well, and makes you believe that you're living it with him... the sign of a truly amazing actor... The things Mr Burns went through, the struggles that he faced seem so horrific it makes you think of the question 'This can't be real, can it?'.. What makes it more horrific is that it's based on a true life, a real person, real situations, real actual events...It blows my mind every time I watch it...Val Kilmer was the right person to play it because he puts so much into the role, he makes you feel the pain that he's suffering. This is a sign of an amazing, talented, young man..who just keeps on getting better...if that's possible. If I could I'd give it more marks than 5 because it is definitely a film not to miss.

Originally an HBO pay channel release, this is perhaps one of their better movies. Val Kilmer plays Robert Elliot Burns. Burns is a WWI veteran who eventually winds up, wrongfully, in a Georgia chain gang. After quite a few whuppings, he escapes in dramatic fashion. Rebuilding his life in Chicago as a news magazine publisher/writer, he gets blackmailed by his wife. He goes BACK to the chain gang and, after a few whuppings, escapes again!! A Val Kilmer fan must see this one, as it is one of his best roles. An all-star supporting cast helps ease the slower parts along. (This ain't no pretty boy flick, ladies. Ol' Val gets the snuff beat out of him.)

This is a film based on a true story, the story of Robert Burns, a World War I veteran who fell upon hard times, turned to petty crime in a point of desperation, and then went through the harrowing experience of the Southern prison system, with all the inhumanities that are attendant to that. Deprivations and cruel punishments abounded, as prisoners were literally whipped to death and set to work at back-breaking labour on chain gangs. At a certain point, Burns escaped, and finding a new life in a Northern state, became a prosperous businessman, still ever mindful of his escapee status. Burns, being assured of the justice of the system and that such inhumanities would not happen again, was led to seek to clarify his status by returning to the South, only to be absorbed once more into the inhuman system. However, this time his public profile was known around the country, and his cause became a cause célèbre. It forced a change in the prison system that remains a turning point in the humane treatment of prisoners to this day.

This film is based upon Robert Burns' own book, 'I am Fugitive from the Georgia Chain Gang'. Directed by Daniel Mann, the story stars Val Kilmer in a remarkably full role, with powerful performances by Charles Durning, Kyra Sedgwick and Elisha Cook Jr. (a veteran actor whose credits include 'The Maltese Falcon' and 'Sergeant York', in this his final role). The scenes are often breathtaking for their brutality and realism, and the overall tone is very true to life, albeit a reality we often want to hide from.

This is a rare film, not yet available on DVD, but one well worth watching, particularly for those who are interested in American history of a different sort.

An early film by Val Kilmer. Some may think it drags on but it ends up being a pretty good movie. Val Kilmer fans must see his great performance. I'd recommend to at least rent if not by this movie.

I first viewed this movie when I was a young child during the 80's on HBO and what I saw has stuck with me to this day. It was such an outstanding performance that I have modeled my own acting style on Val Kilmer. I have tried to find this movie in video stores on and off for years, but with no success. It's funny to find it here on Amazon but on VHS which is a completely dead medium. The fact is, Val Kilmer delivers here, along with the rest of the cast, the performance of a lifetime.

The Man Who Broke 1000 Chains is a true story about a war veteran who, desparate for money is coereced to commit robbery. Our hero tries to back out, but then is forced to help carry out the nefarious deed. The robbery goes wrong and our hero is imprisoned and forced to work on a chain gang. We see through the eyes of Robert Elliot Burns the inhumane conditions found in the chain gang system. The prisoners are treated with much less respect given to slaves. Beaten often and worked beyond fatigue. Luckily Robert manages to escape.

He flees to Chicago and becomes a successful business man, but always is aware of his escapee status. Of course, with a high profile, he is found and returned to the penal system. He then fights and escapes again and effects changes in the penal system which rippled through the country.

Does anyone know if this movie will ever be transfered to dvd? This is a very good movie a rember seeing it as a kid and it blew me away its a very good performance by val kilmer probably his best.

Again this actors talent, surprise and impress me. I find very few actors or actress, becoming the character they play. It is easy to beleive that Mr. Kilmer is truly is Robert Burns. The story was truly good as well as the supporting cast. I found myself getting emotionally involved with Burns struggle. END

Man Who Broke 1000 Chains is one of the best movies I have ever seen. One of the all time greats. It is a mystery to me why it has never been released on DVD and has subsequently fallen into obscurity. With all the God awful movies out there that have gotten the red carpet treatment it is a shame that a movie as great as this one has fallen through the cracks.

Val Kilmer portrays a very realistic image in this true story - an amazing story of one man's fight against the system. Very similar to the book.

This was an excellent film and got to the heart of the injustice of the prison system and the brutality of the chain gangs and those who ran them, without resorting to in your face gore. It is hard to see a man who had fought for this country treated like a second class citizen. It was an interesting character study of what he went through just to survive at first and because of lousy luck and timing he paid for a crime he really never intended to commit and actually tried to prevent. It was obvious that all he wanted to do was work and make something of himself but he was imprisoned for someone else's crime. Its a true story set back during and after WW 1 and around the time of the depression. He was a medic and the horrors of having soldiers torn apart in front of him were devestating. Sadly, after his first prison break and getting his life back together, he was sold out and sent back to the same prison, where he was, of course, treated even more brutally.
Val Kilmer is the main character and is excellent. His brother, the priest, shows his concern and care for him in a believable way throughout the film. The other characters are fairly well fleshed out and identifiable. Its a difficult film to see but worth it.