Each Dawn I Die Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Each Dawn I Die Blu-ray Movie Review

Life behind bars.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III April 26, 2021

Following his first of several stints working independently, celebrated tough guy James Cagney returned to Warner Bros. in 1938 with a string of high-profile pictures that made him the studio's highest earner at the time... and while it's perhaps doomed to be stuck in the shadow of other Cagney films released during that era including Angels with Dirty Faces, The Roaring Twenties, and of course Yankee Doodle Dandy, William Keighley's Each Dawn I Die remains a solid career highlight for him. Paired here with George Raft (Scarface), Cagney plays corruption-busting reporter Frank Ross who, after investigating financial fraud at a local construction company, is framed by crooked district attorney Jesse Hanley (Thurston Hall) and ends up in prison for vehicular manslaughter after "driving drunk". Had this story taken place a year or two later, all this could have been avoided... but hey, the movie had to happen.

After such a remarkably efficient setup -- which sees Ross beginning his stiff sentence within the first ten minutes -- the framed reporter meets notorious gangster "Hood" Stacey (Raft), who's saddled with a whopping 199-year stint due to the state's lack of a death penalty. Their brash personalities and opposite reasons for being there doesn't make it an instant connection... but during a fight with dangerous inmate "Limpy" Julian (Joe Downing), Ross comes to Stacey's rescue. The unlikely pair soon works out a plan that would lead to Stacey's escape while putting Ross in good graces with prison authorities, while the newly-freed gangster works to prove his friend's innocence from the outside.

It's a foolproof but rickety plan that ends up getting real complicated, which makes Each Dawn I Die a little more twisting and unpredictable than first-time viewers may be expecting -- perhaps a little too twisting for its own good. But this one stays entertaining almost every step of the way: Cagney, playing against type from his usual extroverted self, has great chemistry with his co-star and makes for a suitable underdog, whether it's working under the watchful eyes of no-nonsense prison guards or during a one-off visit from his co-worker girlfriend Joyce (Jane Bryan) and doting mother (Emma Dunn), in one of the film's most memorable scenes. But as captivating as its one-on-one exchanges are, the biggest thrills are found in the home stretch which involves both a daring break-out and the National Guard, who are armed with machine guns and hand grenades to get all those revolting prisoners back in line.

Each Dawn I Die feels like a sleek production at only 92 minutes but packs in enough story for at least a two-hour film, with its powerhouse performers doing most of the dramatic heavy lifting. The no-nonsense cinematography -- helmed by veteran Arthur Edeson, whose dense body of work includes such classics as the original Frankenstein, The Maltese Falcon, and of course Casablanca -- expertly avoids any real traces of visual monotony, capturing tight close-ups and medium shots with attractive compositions that wouldn't feel out of place in a film noir... except with more lights, of course. All told, Each Dawn I Die is a potent production that has the good sense to end on a high note and, though its finale is bittersweet, the perpetually trod-upon Ross finally gets his due -- that's all we really wanted.

Warner Archive has rescued this semi-forgotten classic from DVD oblivion; their sterling new Blu-ray package easily supplants Warner Bros.' 2006 disc, which was a decent enough effort that later appeared as part of at least one multi-disc collection. But here it looks and sounds better than ever, and even comes fully equipped with a surprisingly deep collection of bonus features that die-hard fans and newcomers are sure to enjoy.

Each Dawn I Die Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio, Each Dawn I Die represents another picture-perfect transfer from Warner Archive – as always, purists are in for a real treat! Advertised as being sourced from a brand-new 4K scan of the best surviving nitrate elements, the picture's silvery sheen and noticeable layer of film grain are bolstered by a very clean and stable image, one that's been carefully scrubbed of dirt and debris without compromising its original texture. A full range of grays and gradients are complemented by deep blacks, with a few outdoor locales – rare as they are for a prison movie – looking especially good on bright, sunny days. Fine iage detail is extremely robust, especially on clothing textures such as patterned suits and pin stripes, all of which were rendered much less crisply on Warner Bros.' 2006 DVD. Overall, this is just a fantastic-looking disc that's every bit as pleasing as Warner Archives' recent run of five-star transfers… and if you're still not convinced, the screenshots speak for themselves.

As usual, Warner Archive has uploaded a few YouTube videos showing off their new transfer; these include the three-minute opening sequence and a little bit of prison yard conversation.

Each Dawn I Die Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix is a very clean port of the original one-channel source, balancing clear dialogue and a terrific original score by prolific composer Max Steiner. Not surprisingly, Each Dawn I Die's abundant indoor scenes don't make this an especially wide soundstage where conversations are concerned, but some areas -- such as the bustling Banton newspaper offices and, of course, the prison factory floor with its heavy machinery -- do manage a respectable amount of depth and weight that doesn't drown out the speech. No major pops, hissing, or crackle were heard along the way -- from most every perspective, it sounds just as good as it looks.

Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included during the main feature only -- not the extras, unfortunately.

Each Dawn I Die Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with original one-sheet poster artwork on the cover and no inserts. The surprisingly deep collection of bonus features is almost enough to warrant a full second disc.

• Audio Commentary - This feature-length track by film historian (and former Warner Archives curator) Haden Guest -- which, like a few other extras here, appears to be carried over from the 2006 DVD -- covers a solid amount of ground. Talking points include Depression-era Hollywood, Cagney's dispute with Warner Bros. in 1937, supporting characters and bit players, visual contrasts, George Raft and Humphrey Bogart, the film's occasional use of stock footage, time lapses, the twine mill set, Cagney's "background" performance, Max Steiner's score and diegetic music, honest gangsters, George Raft's underworld connections, and more.

• Vintage Newsreel (1:24) - Nothing like a little Movietone News to set the proper mood.

• A Day At Santa Anita (18:00) - Another era-specific piece, this 1937 short movie features a cute Shirley Temple stand-in named Peaches (Sybil Jason) who's separated from her beloved race horse by an impossibly mean villain. It's a pretty sweet little film that doesn't fit in thematically but I'm glad is here.

• Detouring America (7:57) - A vintage Merrie Melodies short that doubles as a pun-filled travelogue of the United States and its many landmarks. "Best Animated Feature" had a lot lower standards back then, I guess.

• Wings of the Navy Trailer (3:22) - A trailer for the 1939 Warner Bros. film seen by the prisoners during Each Dawn I Die. Pretty shrewd marketing, WB.

• Stool Pigeons and Pine Overcoats: The Language of Gangster Films (20:59) - This light and entertaining featurette examines the vocabulary and vocal tones unique to gangster movies ("You dirty rat!"), paying special attention to the talents of James Cagney and how early sound films played boosted the genre's popularity.

• Breakdowns of 1939: Studio Blooper Reel (14:35) - An enjoyable collection of rarely-seen bloopers from the era that looks like something that might have been shown at a company party. I haven't seen enough of the source films to comment, but hearing Porky Pig swear is worth the price of admission alone.

• Each Dawn I Crow (8:00) - Another Merrie Melodies short, this one parodies the main feature in name alone; in it, "John Rooster" avoids the axe of one Elmer Fudd, who's just looking to prepare a little Sunday feast.

• Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (57:54) - This vintage program, presented in full, was originally broadcast March 22, 1943 and features George Raft reprising his role as "Hood" Stacey, opposite Franchot Tone.

• Re-Issue Trailer (1:44) - This vintage promotional piece can also be seen here.

Each Dawn I Die Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

William Keighley's Each Dawn I Die is a mostly forgotten but very effective production whose nicely measured blend of "ripped from the headlines" newspaper drama and tough-talking gangster goodness applies to both the story and its stars, both of whom are no stranger to each genre. Although its plot occasionally flirts with an excess of twists and supporting characters, it stays entertaining and the film's final stretch lands with an emotionally effective ending that feels just about perfect. Warner Archive's new Blu-ray might be one of their best in an already-great year, serving up another top-tier A/V presentation and a very strong mix of era-specific and retrospective extras, some of which are carried over from Warner Bros.' 2006 DVD. This outstanding disc comes highly recommended.