Just perfect...

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This is the most underrated movie i've ever seen. I suggest everbody to watch this.

The guards at Alcatraz kill one prisoner and recapture others including Henri Young (Kevin Bacon) during an escape attempt. Young would spend three years and two months in solitary confinement. He had stolen $5 from a grocery store to take care of his sister. The fact that a U.S. Post Office is also in the store made it a Federal offense. After being released from solitary, he kills a fellow prisoner. Young James Stamphill (Christian Slater) becomes his defense lawyer who makes Alcatraz and Warden Milton Glenn (Gary Oldman) as the ultimate cause of the murder.This is one of those based on true story but one shouldn't look too closely. The story is filled with big stereotypes. Kevin Bacon is stripped down in an amazing performance. I like certain touches of this historical setting. Slater is fine and Oldman is great evil. I can't shake off the feeling that this has a fake fable feel.

I saw this film not long after its DVD release, in the days that we all used to travel down to our local DVD store and rent our movies over-night. On this day I had little idea of what I was renting, just another Alcatraz movie I thought. What a wonderful surprise to find this gem of a story based on actual events. Beautifully performed by it's cast and directed with an emotional heart that lived with me long after the movies first viewing. If I had a wishlist of prison films to see before I die this would be right up there, in the same class as The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption and The Bird-man of Alcatraz. Wonderful film so rich in acting talent that I think they should have all won Oscars, please watch it and enjoy it and it will say with you for years.

Depression-era orphan Kevin Bacon (as Henri Young) is sent to the notoriously brutal island prison Alcatraz, after stealing five dollars to feed his little sister. Caught trying to escape, Mr. Bacon is severely beaten, then sent to the bowels of the penitentiary, where he is left in an isolated cell for three years. Bacon is let out for 30 minutes of exercise every Christmas. His only companion in "The Hole" is a spider. Released to the general prison population in 1941, Bacon is a psychologically damaged "basket case." Hearing the name of the inmate who sent him to "The Hole" leads Bacon to kill the informant with a spoon. Then, Bacon is back on trial, for murder. Bacon's attorney is an idealistic 24-year-old Christian Slater (as James "Jim" Stamphill). At first, Mr. Slater finds it hard to communicate with his client, as Bacon is near catatonic. But, his desire for human companionship leads Bacon to reveal his rather innocent life story. Lawyer Slater learns of the abuse Bacon suffered at Alcatraz, and accuses the institution of murder.Inspired by a true story, "Murder in the First" features a crucifying performance by Bacon, with good balance from Slater, and fine support from prosecuting attorney William H. Macy (as William McNeil) and abusive warden Gary Oldman (as Milton Glenn). Bacon's "real-life" wife Kyra Sedgwick is a ho-hum hooker, but Stefan Gierasch's head warden is terrific. Marc Rocco directs Fred Murphy's cameras in an aimless, dizzying fashion - seeming to search for a point-of-view that is already painfully obvious.****** Murder in the First (1/20/95) Marc Rocco ~ Kevin Bacon, Christian Slater, William H. Macy, Gary Oldman