<P> The film was based on a book written by Robert Elliott Burns in 1932 and published by Vanguard Press . The book tells the story of Burns' imprisonment on a chain gang in Georgia in the 1920s, his subsequent escape and the furor that developed . The story was first published in January 1932, serialized in True Detective mysteries magazine . </P> <P> Despite Jack L. Warner and Darryl F. Zanuck's personal interest in adapting Burns's book, the Warner Bros. story department voted against it with a report that concluded: "this book might make a picture if we had no censorship, but all the strong and vivid points in the story are certain to be eliminated by the present censorship board ." The story editor listed specific reasons for not recommending the book for a picture, most of them having to do with the violence of the story and the uproar that was sure to explode in the Deep South . In the end, Warner and Zanuck had the final say and approved the project . </P> <P> Roy Del Ruth, the highest - paid director of the Warner Bros. Studio, was assigned to direct, but the contract director refused the assignment . In a lengthy memo to supervising producer Hal B. Wallis, Del Ruth explained his decision: "This subject is terribly heavy and morbid...there is not one moment of relief anywhere ." Del Ruth further argued that the story "lacks box - office appeal," and that offering a depressing story to the public seemed ill timed, given the harsh reality of the Great Depression outside the walls of the local neighborhood cinema . Mervyn LeRoy, who was at that time directing 42nd Street (which came out in 1933), dropped out of the shooting and left the reins to Lloyd Bacon . </P> <P> LeRoy cast Paul Muni in the role of James Allen after seeing him in a stage production of Counsellor - at - Law . Muni was not impressed with LeRoy upon first meeting him in Warner's Burbank office . Despite this meeting, Muni and LeRoy became close friends . LeRoy was present at Muni's funeral in 1967 along with the actor's agent . </P>

Watch i'm a fugitive from a chain gang