We Who Are About to Die (1937)

In the dusty expanses of New Mexico, John Thompson, a skilled aircraft engineer, finds himself embroiled in a heated argument with his boss. Unable to reconcile differences, he chooses to surrender his position, with dreams of starting afresh in sunny California with his beloved. Fate, however, has a cruel twist in store for him. As he embarks on a journey to collect his final paycheck, he's ensnared by a ruthless gang of criminals. They plot to rob the payroll vault at John's erstwhile workplace, using his car as their getaway vehicle and his coat as a guise. The robbery spirals into a tragic tableau - a paymaster loses his life, and a young boy is struck down in the gang's desperate escape. Abandoning the car, the gang discards John like a used pawn. But the nightmare doesn't end for him. He is soon apprehended and accused of the robbery and subsequent murders. Despite the tangle of evidence hinting at his innocence and his fervent pleas of being framed, he is condemned to death row. But hope flickers in an unexpected place. The detective who initially aided in John's conviction starts to question the narrative. As he retraces the steps of the investigation, he uncovers unsettling truths. Is John Thompson the villain or just an innocent man trapped in a deadly game? The answer lies in a thrilling journey through a web of deception and betrayal.

We Who Are About to Die is a crime movie featuring Preston Foster.

We Who Are About to Die is currently streaming on DIRECTV and TCM.