The Prisoner of Shark Island
“Based on the life story of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd”
Synopsis
After healing the leg of the murderer John Wilkes Booth — responsible for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln — Dr. Samuel A. Mudd, considered part of the atrocious conspiracy, is sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to the sinister Shark Island Prison.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2012-05-08
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Warner Baxter
Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd
Gloria Stuart
Mrs. Peggy Mudd
Claude Gillingwater
Colonel Dyer
Arthur Byron
Mr. Erickson
O. P. Heggie
Dr. Mac Intyre
Harry Carey
Commandant
Francis Ford
Corporal O'Toole
John McGuire
Lieutenant Lovett
Francis McDonald
John Wilkes Booth
Douglas Wood
General Ewing
John Carradine
Sergeant Rankin
Joyce Kay
Martha Mudd
Fred Kohler Jr.
Sergeant Cooper
Ernest Whitman
Buck
Paul Fix
David Herold
Frank Shannon
Mr. Holt
Frank McGlynn Sr.
Abraham Lincoln
Leila McIntyre
Mrs. Abraham Lincoln
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York City, New York
Festival / Special Debut
February 28, 1936
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Ford
- Screenplay & Story
- Nunnally Johnson
- Original Score
- R. H. Bassett, Hugo Friedhofer
- Original Title
- The Prisoner of Shark Island
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 33m
- Production Studios
- 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Ford
Nunnally Johnson
R. H. Bassett, Hugo Friedhofer
Bert Glennon
Jack Murray
Darryl F. Zanuck
Department Leadership Roster
John Ford
Director
Nunnally Johnson
Screenplay
Jack Murray
Editor
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
Bert Glennon
Director of Photography
R. H. Bassett
Original Music Composer
Hugo Friedhofer
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
General — Suitable for all ages.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Prisoner of Shark Island.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Prisoner of Shark Island.
War: American Civil War
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
True Crime
ALLL MOVIESSS
Legal Films
Courtroom dramas, legal thrillers, legal comedies and films about lawyers.
Available 1930s
All Watched Films
Similar Titles to The Prisoner of Shark Island
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
5.8
7.5
5.8
5.0
7.0
7.7
6.4
7.0
8.2
7.9
6.9
7.5
6.6
7.5
6.0
6.9
7.4
7.6
5.3
More Like The Prisoner of Shark Island
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Prisoner of Shark Island
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Prisoner of Shark Island about?
After healing the leg of the murderer John Wilkes Booth — responsible for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln — Dr. Samuel A. Mudd, considered part of the atrocious conspiracy, is sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to the sinister Shark Island Prison.
Who directed The Prisoner of Shark Island?
The Prisoner of Shark Island was directed by John Ford.
Who stars in The Prisoner of Shark Island?
The principal cast of The Prisoner of Shark Island includes Warner Baxter, Gloria Stuart, Claude Gillingwater, Arthur Byron, O. P. Heggie.
When was The Prisoner of Shark Island released and how long is it?
The Prisoner of Shark Island was released in 1936 with a total runtime of 1h 33m.
Who composed the musical score for The Prisoner of Shark Island?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Prisoner of Shark Island was composed by R. H. Bassett, Hugo Friedhofer.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Prisoner of Shark Island?
The Prisoner of Shark Island holds official age classifications: CA: G (General — Suitable for all ages.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).