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OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 1011

Up the River

193092 minUnited States
Drama
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
English
This copy runs
84:38
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · John Ford · Public domain

Synopsis

After leaving prison, Steve hopes to rebuild his life and wait for Judy's release. A swindler threatens to expose his record unless he helps defraud the people of his hometown. Two former fellow prisoners decide to intervene, treating escape, blackmail and a penitentiary baseball game as parts of the same comic adventure.

Cast

DirectorsJohn Ford

Historical context

John Ford's early sound comedy brought Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart together in their feature debuts. Their contrasting roles make the film a notable meeting of performers whose later screen careers would develop separately.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 15, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

  • Spencer Tracy — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (work for hire) · Public domain
  • Humphrey Bogart — WCCO (AM) , a CBS affiliate--the network where the program originated. This local affiliate intended to use the photo in its local ads for the Minneapolis-St. Paul area it serves.; eBay item front back · Public domain

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