Barbara Graham didn’t have an easy life. A prostitute and convicted perjurer, petty crime was a way of life for her. Basing their screenplay for I Want to Live! on contemporary newspaper files and her own letters, Nelson Gidding and Don Mankiewicz, don’t sugarcoat Graham’s anti-social behavior, but strongly dispute her murder conviction and execution. For as much as I Want to Live! is Barbara Graham’s story, no matter what viewers think of her, the film stands as a powerful rebuke of the death penalty.
Living on the fringes of the Beat scene in San Francisco and Las Angeles, Barbara Graham leans on her good looks to get by. Prostitution and the street hustle are part of her life, but survival requires it. Proof that she has a heart comes in the first scene. Realizing that a John has a wife and family at home, she takes the wrap of a prostitution charge. Barbara’s decision to protect him also underscores that despite her climate acts, Barbara still entertains the notion of family. Her biggest mistake? Hooking her wagon to some bad guys, Emmit Perkins (Philip Coolidge), John Santos (Lou Krugman) and Bruce King (James Philbrook). When Mabel Monohan, a wealthy widow was found murdered in her California home, Graham’s cohorts apparently overstated her role in the crime to save themselves. Barbara is arrested, convicted and ultimately executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin.
With Graham proclaiming her innocence at every turn, the press quickly fixate on the case, christening her “Bloody Babs” and smear her with biased stories about Herr sordid past. If Barbara took the wrap believing that she, as a woman would be treated with a softer hand, she is sadly mistaken. The police force, having decided her guilty, do whatever they can to seal her fate. It’s clear that Barbara is being judged for her lifestyle, as much as for the crime. Remember, this is the 1950’s, so girls like her weren’t considered redeemable by much of Americans. Graham was a woman who clearly lived outside the norms of society and that was not acceptable.
Determined to highlight the injustice of capital punishment, director Robert Wise went to San Quentin and witnessed an execution. Nearly sixty years later, Wise’s way of shooting Graham’s final moments remains chilling. The camera lingers on the cyanide pellets, slimy ovals tossed around in thick black gloves. It’s not the men tasked with this job that are demonized, but rather the entire system that allows a group of older, white men standing behind glass, to gleefully witness this woman receiving her “just” punishment.
Smartly, Wise puts the movie squarely on Susan Hayward ‘s shoulders. Her raw, emotional acting style had won her acclaim before. Just three years earlier, Hayward received her fourth Oscar nomination for her riveting portrayal of singer Lillian Roth in I’ll Cry Tomorrow. Here, the actress really digs into the role, displaying all of Barbara’s brashness and pent up frustration, while letting moments of caring shine through. When Barbara goes to prison, her feelings of desperation are constant as pleads for her life. Her face turns ashen with resignation as her execution date draws near. Though Hayward tries a bit too hard in the opening scenes–there’s some over acting–she rightfully won an Oscar for this role, her fifth nomination.
Not surprisingly, Robert Wise received an Oscar nomination for his direction. Nelson Gidding and Don Mankiewicz received a nod for their screenplay, Lionel Linden for his black and white cinematography and William Hornbeck for editing. I Want to Live! is also noteworthy for its pulsating, furious jazz score composed, arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel. A real fusion of styles, the music is as unbridled as Hayward’s performance and fits the story. This is one of those cases where Twilight Time’s standard issue offering of the film’s isolated score track is a real treat.
Regardless of where you stand on the death penalty, I Want to Live! stands as an affecting drama highlighted by memorable acting, skilled directing and an innovative soundtrack.
Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, this is a solid transfer. The stark black and white cinematography has a nice level of grain and remains consistent. The image clarity is remarkable, elevating the grittiness of the prison scenes. Impressive shadow delineation, superior black levels and a clean print make for a superior viewing experience.
The clean, well-modulated DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. does wonderful things for the memorable jazz soundtrack. The sound field is wide and dynamic, with a nice level of bass and no distortion. Dialogue is clean and clear throughout. Ambient sounds are identifiable, without ever interfering with the main action. Like the video, the audio leaves little to complain about.
English SDH subtitles are included.
The following extras are available:
- Isolated Score Track with Audio Commentary Segment: The innovative Johnny Mandel jazz soundtrack performed by an ensemble led by Gerry Mulligan can be enjoyed without any intrusions on this isolated track that’s punctuated by a 20-minute audio commentary by Robert Wise associate Mike Matessino. After a brief introduction at the beginning of the film, the remarks begin around the 32-minute mark and covers various topics.
- MGM 90th Anniversary Trailer (HD, 2:06)
- Six-Page Booklet: Contains l black and white stills, original poster art on the back cover, and film historian Julie Kirgo’s skilled analysis of the movie.
There are only 3,000 copies of this Blu-ray available. Those interested in purchasing it should go to either http://www.twilighttimemovies.com or http://www.screenarchives.com to see if product is still in stock. Information about the movie can also be found via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/twilighttimemovies.
