Posted: Wed., Jan. 1, 1930

The Big House

Go Fandango!
Cosmopolitan. Director George Hill; Screenplay Frances Marion, Joe Farnham, Martin Flavin; Camera Harold Wenstrom; Editor Blanche Sewell; Art Director Cedric Gibbons, Frederic Hope
 
Chester Morris
Wallace Beery
Lewis Stone
Robert Montgomery
Leila Hyams
Karl Dane
 
As Butch, Morgan and Kent, Wallace Beery, Chester Morris and Robert Montgomery are a great trio in 'the big house', where each is serving a stretch for homicide, forgery and manslaughter, respectively.

Prison life on the half-shell is plainly exposed. The big wallop is the prison revolt, resulting in several deaths and an expose of how the officials deal with foolhardy prisoners. The hand grenades, barrages, stench bombs, tractor attacks and other means to conquer rebellious prisoners, with variations in the dungeon, etc, are all graphically dovetailed into the tense story.

1929/30: Best Writing (Frances Marion), Sound.

Nominations: Best Picture, Actor (Wallace Beery)

(B&W) Extract of a review from 1930. Running time: 84 MIN.
 

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The Big House - Wed., Jan. 1, 1930



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