Dawn I Die Quotes

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Freedom of the Gangster Two very different men enter a prison. One is staunchly moral, a little naive, and wrongfully accused. The other is jaded, self-interested, and absolutely guilty. Yet, their common struggle through the harsh conditions of prison life and innate senses of loyalty bond them inextricably together. It is this relationship between journalist Frank Ross and prominent gangster “Hood” Stacey that is at the heart of 1939’s Each Dawn I Die (1939, Keighly) and which muddles the distinction of whether or not the film constitutes a gangster movie. While the arcs of both Ross and Stacey and the setting of the film are distinct from that of the typical gangster film, the juxtaposition of both men’s reactions to corrupt authority highlights…show more content…
However, this choice allows the film to comment on the corrupted society that Ross and Stacey occupy. While the scenery might be different, the film never loses the influence of the city. Both Ross and Stacey are slum kids, who, despite their opposing world views, were both nevertheless heavily influenced by that environment. It’s influence is seen in their respective career choices both of which, ultimately, bring them to prison. Stacey embraces a life of crime, leading to a life’s sentence. Ross chooses to actively counter corruption as a journalist. Indeed, Ross’s framing and imprisonment at the hands of corrupted politicians because of his success as a journalist ensures that the caustic environment of the city hangs over the film. The prison environment, however, provides an apt metaphor for the way our characters remain not just physically incarcerated, but entrapped in a society held hostage by…show more content…
The gangster is marked by an anti-sociality, as it is only once he actively rejects traditional values that he can make his meteoric rise (and eventual fall). He centers his attentions on his own ambitions, with little regards to the consequences. “Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doing it,” coached Tony Camonte in Scarface (Hawkes, 1932) , demonstrating an utter disregard for both trust and honor, staples of American ideals. Indeed, while Ross is marked by his desire to be restored to his rightful place in society by fixing a broken system, Stacey seeks to reject that system altogether. He capitalizes on the anarchy and violence typically associated with the gangster in order to quite literally fight the system that both created and destroys him. He breaks himself out of jail and attempts to destroy the prison, a symbol of society at large, by leading a full-blown prison riot. It is only by performing these illegal actions that Stacey is able to prove Ross’s innocence, thus implying that anarchy is the only way to wield power under a corrupted society. Stacey pays for these actions, as all gangsters do, with his death. However, because he dies is the pursuit of justice of Ross, he has redeemed himself, and audience sympathy continues to lie with him despite his objectively brutal actions, thus placing Stacey in a long line of

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