Millionaires in Prison


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Millionaires in Prison is a 1940 American crime drama film directed by Ray McCarey and written by Lynn Root and Frank Fenton. The film stars Lee Tracy, Linda Hayes, Raymond Walburn, Morgan Conway and Truman Bradley. The film was released on July 12, 1940, by RKO Pictures.[1][2][3]

Millionaires in Prison

Theatrical release poster

Directed byRay McCarey
Screenplay byLynn Root
Frank Fenton
Story byMartin Mooney
Produced byHoward Benedict
StarringLee Tracy
Linda Hayes
Raymond Walburn
Morgan Conway
Truman Bradley
CinematographyHarry J. Wild
Edited byTheron Warth
Music byRoy Webb

Production
company

RKO Pictures

Distributed byRKO Pictures

Release date

  • July 12, 1940

Running time

64 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Nick Burton is a convict who wields considerable influence among others behind bars. He befriends the prison doctor, Bill Collins, who is seeking a cure for a deadly virus (referred to as 'Malta fever' during the film) and needs guinea pigs for his experimental drugs. A wealthy physician sentenced for reckless driving, Harry Lindsay, is persuaded to be of help. Malta Fever is more commonly known as Brucellosis, which is a highly contagious zoonotic virus and no cure for it has ever been found.

Burton looks up two other rich inmates, Bruce Vander and Harold Kellogg, jailed for income tax evasion. They scheme to raise money for Collins' medical experiments. A pair of millionaire con men, James Brent and Sidney Keats, attempt a stock swindle even while behind bars, but Burton takes it upon himself to thwart their plans. The experiments produce a miracle cure for the virus, whereupon Burton and the doctor are both granted an early parole.