TMBTMB
TMBTMB

Track, discover and find where to watch TV shows and movies.

Discover

  • Movies
  • TV Shows
  • Browse
  • Topics

Account

  • Watchlist
  • Watched
  • Ratings

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Content Policy

© 2026 Movie Browser. All rights reserved.

Data provided by TMDB

Home
Browse
Watchlist
backdrop
backdrop
logo
A DA becomes warden and faces the man he put away. Awkward.
IMDb
65

Penitentiary (1938)

Depression-era gritmoral mazetorch song melodrama

Overview

ActionDramaRomanceCrime

The story of a D.A. who becomes a prison warden and winds up overseeing the sentence of a man he prosecuted.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
based on novel or bookprisondistrict attorneygangsterprison breakb moviedefense attorneyprison warden

Standout Aspects

Direction

Brahm's shadow-drenched corridors before his Hitchcock era.

Acting

Connolly's sweaty desperation as authority crumbles.

Best for:Solo: Late-night discovery of forgotten pre-noir gems.·Background: Multitask with 1930s slang bingo.
Heads up:Violence: Prison riot sequence with implied brutality.
John Brahm

Director

John Brahm

ReleasedFeb 5, 1938
Runtime1h 14m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacefast
Intensityhigh
Tonedark
Feelheavy
Columbia Pictures

Top Cast

Walter Connolly

Walter Connolly

Dist. Atty. Thomas Mathews

John Howard

John Howard

William Jordan

Jean Parker

Jean Parker

Elizabeth Mathews

Robert Barrat

Robert Barrat

Prison Yard Capt. Grady

Marc Lawrence

Marc Lawrence

Jack Hawkins

Arthur Hohl

Arthur Hohl

Finch

Charles Halton

Charles Halton

Leonard Nettleford

Edward Van Sloan

Edward Van Sloan

Dr. Rinewulf

Marjorie Main

Marjorie Main

Miss Katie Mathews

Stanley Andrews

Stanley Andrews

Prison Captain Dorn (uncredited)

Ward Bond

Ward Bond

Red Parsons - Prison Barber (uncredited)

Ask about Penitentiary

Opens AI chat

Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

Lewis E. Lawes, actual Sing Sing warden, consulted on prison authenticity—then sued when the film made wardens look corrupt.

Insight

Brahm's rapid cutting during the riot scene directly influenced his later work on The Lodger and Hangover Square.

Gallery

Reviews

No ratings yet

Start the discussionBe the first to post — spoiler-safe
Rate & reviewBe the first to weigh in

Recommended

You Only Live Once movie poster (1937)
7.1

You Only Live Once

Little Caesar movie poster (1931)
6.9

Little Caesar

20,000 Years in Sing Sing movie poster (1932)
6.4

20,000 Years in Sing Sing

Underworld movie poster (1927)
7.0

Underworld

They Made Me a Fugitive movie poster (1947)
6.6

They Made Me a Fugitive

They Live by Night movie poster (1949)
6.9

They Live by Night

Illegal movie poster (1955)
6.4

Illegal

Kiss of Death movie poster (1947)
7.1

Kiss of Death

Indemnity movie poster (2022)
6.6

Indemnity

Yield to the Night movie poster (1956)
6.9

Yield to the Night

Caged movie poster (1950)
7.1

Caged

House of Strangers movie poster (1949)
6.9

House of Strangers

The Blue Lamp movie poster (1950)
6.6

The Blue Lamp

The Unholy Three movie poster (1925)
6.7

The Unholy Three

The Web movie poster (1947)
7.1

The Web

More Like This

Man on Fire movie poster (2004)
7.5

Man on Fire

Menace II Society movie poster (1993)
7.5

Menace II Society

Chopper movie poster (2000)
6.8

Chopper

Candyman movie poster (1992)
6.7

Candyman

Red Dragon movie poster (2002)
7.0

Red Dragon

The Right Stuff movie poster (1983)
7.4

The Right Stuff

The Exorcist movie poster (1973)
7.7

The Exorcist

Darkman movie poster (1990)
6.4

Darkman

The Tower of Lies movie poster (1925)
10.0

The Tower of Lies

Tell Me No Secrets movie poster (1997)
5.3

Tell Me No Secrets

Visiting Ours movie poster (2017)
4.8

Visiting Ours

Čierna minúta movie poster (1970)
4.3

Čierna minúta

King of New York movie poster (1990)
6.8

King of New York

Blood Work movie poster (2002)
6.2

Blood Work

Clueless movie poster (1995)
7.3

Clueless

Discussion

Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.

Discussion starters

View all comments →