#1. The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains (1987)

Storyline: Jobless and desperate, World War I veteran Robert Eliot Burns (Val Kilmer) is arrested for theft and sentenced to work on a prison chain gang. Eager to get away from brutal Warden Hardy (Charles Durning), Burns busts out of jail. Suddenly free, he woos foxy stranger Emily Del Pino Pacheco (Sonia Braga). Soon, though, the romance sours, and, without cover from Emily, Burns is left with nowhere to hide. To his dismay, he might just find himself making a return journey to Hardy's chain gang.

Plot Keywords: criminal, prisoner, prison guard, warden, cellmate, beautiful woman, rousing ...

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#2. Sullivan's Travels (1941)

Storyline: Sullivan is a successful, spoiled, and naive director of fluff films, with a heart-o-gold, who decides he wants to make a film about the troubles of the downtrodden poor. Much to the chagrin of his producers, he sets off in tramp's clothing with a single dime in his pocket to experience poverty first-hand, and gets some reality shock.

Plot Keywords: director, actress, butler, spinster, warden, tramp, heartwarming ...

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#3. The Defiant Ones (1958)

Storyline: When the truck that is transporting convicts has an accident on the road, the inmates John "Joker" Jackson and Noah Cullen that are chained to each other escape. They hate each other but they need to help each other to succeed in their intent of going north to jump in a train and reach freedom. Meanwhile the humane Sheriff Max Muller organizes a posse to track them down in a civilized manner and respecting justice. Joker and Cullen reach a small farm where a lonely woman helps them to get rid of their chains. She offers to drive her car with Joker and her son Billy while Cullen would escape through the swamp to the railroad. But when Joker learns that she sent Cullen to a trap, he leaves her and is shot in the shoulder by Billy. Joker seeks out Cullen to save him and when they meet each other, their former hatred has changed to friendship and respect.

Plot Keywords: criminal, prisoner, sheriff, captain, landowner, brash, endearing ...

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#4. Sounder (1972)

Storyline: The Morgans, a loving and strong family of Black sharecroppers in Louisiana in 1933, face a serious family crisis when the husband and father, Nathan Lee Morgan, is convicted of a petty crime and sent to a prison camp. After some weeks or months, the wife and mother, Rebecca Morgan, sends the oldest son, who is about 11 years old, to visit his father at the camp. The journey becomes something of an odyssey for the boy. During the journey, he stays a little while with a dedicated Black schoolteacher.—Ed Cannon <ecannon@mail.utexas.edu>

Plot Keywords: son, father, mother, dog, teacher, sad, inspiring ...

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