IMDb >
I Want to Live! (1958)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at
blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
blockbuster.com
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsI Want to Live! (1958) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (see all 9 | slideshow) |
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
18 November 1958 (USA) moreTagline:
Barbara Graham's Last Scream From Gas Chamber...Plot:
Barbara Graham is a woman with dubious moral standards, often a guest in seedy bars. She has been sentenced for some petty crimes... more | add synopsisAwards:
Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 12 nominations moreUser Comments:
Was she or not there? moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Susan Hayward | ... | Barbara Graham | |
| Simon Oakland | ... | Edward S. 'Ed' Montgomery | |
| Virginia Vincent | ... | Peg | |
| Theodore Bikel | ... | Carl G.G. Palmberg | |
| Wesley Lau | ... | Henry L. Graham | |
| Philip Coolidge | ... | Emmett Perkins | |
| Lou Krugman | ... | John R. 'Jack' Santo | |
| James Philbrook | ... | Bruce King | |
| Bartlett Robinson | ... | District Attorney Milton | |
| Gage Clarke | ... | Attorney Richard G. Tibrow | |
| Joe De Santis | ... | Al Matthews | |
| John Marley | ... | Father Devers | |
| Raymond Bailey | ... | San Quentin Warden | |
| Alice Backes | ... | Barbara, San Quentin Nurse | |
| Gertrude Flynn | ... | San Quentin Matron |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
120 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColour:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Certification:
Finland:(Banned) (1959) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | West Germany:12 | UK:15 (video rating) (1998) | UK:X (original rating) (cut)Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Inveterate researcher that he is, Robert Wise was determined to capture every grisly element of an execution for the climax of his movie. He visited San Quentin prison and asked for permission to see the gas chamber and witness an actual execution. After he'd seen it and had his art director photograph it and take measurements for set replication purposes, he was still uncertain about how he would structure the last act. He went back to the prison and made one final request for a detailed account of the entire execution procedure. This is what is painstakingly documented in the movie's climax. moreGoofs:
Continuity: Keep an eye on the scene when the cops flush out the bad guys from the warehouse by calling them out one by one. As Graham cleans herself up in the mirror, the right side of her face is shown to be heavily scratched and her left cheek is clear, but as soon as she turns away to give herself up, the pattern is reversed. moreFAQ
What does Barbara whisper to the priest just before she steps into the gas chamber?A Note Regarding Spoilers
Is "I Want to Live" based on a novel?
more
more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for I Want to Live! (1958) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Chicago | In Cold Blood | Call Northside 777 | Too Young to Die? | Longford |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Biography section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |










A film starred by Susan Hayward is just an invitation to see it and much more if it is directed by Robert Wise. "I want to live" is the case of a real story shown incompletely. Barbara Graham (Hayward) was what we call a "happy" woman ready to go to parties, dancing, drinking and enjoying her life. She was a woman of doubtful ethics always involved in dirty businesses, and several times punished by the law. The film shows all this well, but not the fact for the one she is sentenced to capital execution. At this point one has to imagine or to guess whether she really participated in the murder of another woman. This question still remains because the film never answered to it. Another characteristic of the film is that Wise shows in details how the gas camera execution is prepared and how it is carried out. Moreover, her execution was a real torture since it was delayed several times. These scenes are certainly tough for any cinema spectator. One may suppose that she was really guilty but definitely not for such a sentence.