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I Want to Live!

1958 · Movie · NR · 120 min · ★ 6.9 · 89% critics

DramaCrime

A troubled woman tries to leave her old life behind, but when she is tied to a murder case, she ends up facing a harsh legal fight and a terrifying wait on death row. The story follows her struggle to be heard as the case draws public attention.

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Details
Years
1958
Release date
1958-11-18
Language
English
Rated
NR
Runtime
120 min
Max quality
HD
Critic score
89/100
TMDB rating
6.9/10 (116 votes)
About

You may like this if you want a grim, emotionally intense crime drama with a strong central performance and a focus on public pressure and the justice system; Not for you if you prefer lighter stories or less bleak material, and you might also like Birdman of Alcatraz.

Pros: powerful lead performance; tense courtroom drama; strong period atmosphere | Cons: heavy-handed message; uneven sympathy; some dated moments

Themes

  • death penalty
  • death row
  • biography
  • framed for murder
  • fallen woman

Awards & recognition

  • Academy AwardBest Actress · 1959
  • Academy AwardBest Film Editing · 1959 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Sound · 1959 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Cinematography, Black-and-White · 1959 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Actress · 1959 · nominated
Show all 7 awards →
  • Academy AwardBest Director · 1959 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1959 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by Robert Wise