Johnny Chambers has just finished his shift as a truck driver and goes home to be with his wife. He receives a knock on the door and sees two Dallas policeman at the door. It seems his revolver was involved in a crime. Johnny goes down to the police stations and he is booked into the jail. He has a court appointed attorney, but things don't look good. He goes to trial and receives a five year sentence at Huntsville prison in Texas. Times are hard in prison and it is in the early 1960's. The country has just elected John F. Kennedy as their new President. While in prison Johnny meets two prisoners, David Madejas and Vinny LePugh. These two are an odd lot. Both of them have had near death experiences and they have both have shown new talents in art and music. Johnny decides that they are reincarnated in the images of Amadeus Mozart and Vincent Van Gogh. He decides to go to the warden to tell him about the two inmates. The warden is skeptical at first but does decide to give them a craft room to establish their art. Things are going well and Johnny is enthused that the two have been able to produce some excellent work. He even has a recital and David shows off a new musical piece. The warden is impressed and things are going well. Johnny has a run in with the warden and soon the craft room is shut down and all the artwork is confiscated. Johnny decides it is time to escape the prison. He gets cornered by the head guard and the prison gang, The Buddies. The Buddies put Johnny in a coma for three months. After waking up, he decides to put his escape plan into action. He also notices that he has acquired a new skill, writing. He also has many dreams of a famous writer, Ernest Hemingway. Johnny decides he also has a new personality, Ernest Hemingway. Johnny gets the people together to make the escape happen. Vinny, David, Mr. Pickett and Tony Shanks are all going to help get out of prison. They decide to hijack the semi that will be leaving the prison. Johnny decides November 22, 1963 will be the day the escape is going to happen. This is also the same day that President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas. The escape is a success and the inmates are wanted men.
