Review of You Only Live Once

This film features a similar storyline to the Hollywood Pre-Code classic "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang," with no real story being the drama of it. This film also adds a fresh romantic interest, which is powerful for much of the story and serves as the main motivation of the protagonist. The narrative follows the story of former convict Eddie Taylor (Ford) who finally goes straight, marrying his sweetheart Joan (Sidney) and trying to get a job. Although he tries to do good, he's framed for theft and assassination, and the rest of the film features him trying to clear his name and get back to his wife.The story's main morale is not to discount those who try to get their lives back together, and the more important lesson is that if you believe that someone is going to commit a crime, they will eventually have to be free. This is a narrative that in our modern times, when recurrence is at an all-time high and police brutality is at the national spotlight, could use more attention. While the film as a whole plays too often with melodrama, it is a classic example of how Fritz Lang made his films, using his audience's emotions while also showing a violent story.This isn't his absolute best movie, but it's one of the most memorable, and one I would highly recommend.