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IMDb > The Big House (1930)

The Big House (1930)

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User Rating: 7.4/10 (379 votes)
Photos (see all 2 | slideshow)

Overview

Director:
George W. Hill
Writers:
Joseph Farnham (additional dialogue)
Martin Flavin (additional dialogue)
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Release Date:
14 June 1930 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Thriller more
Plot:
A convict falls in love with his new cellmate's sister, only to become embroiled in a planned break-out which is certain to have lethal consequences. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations more
User Comments:
Classic--a prison drama written by a woman! more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)
Chester Morris ... John Morgan

Wallace Beery ... 'Machine Gun' Butch Schmidt
Lewis Stone ... Warden James Adams

Robert Montgomery ... Kent Marlowe
Leila Hyams ... Anne Marlowe
George F. Marion ... Pop Riker
J.C. Nugent ... Mr. Marlowe
Karl Dane ... Olsen
DeWitt Jennings ... Capt. Wallace
Matthew Betz ... Gopher (as Mathew Betz)
Claire McDowell ... Mrs. Marlowe
Robert Emmett O'Connor ... Police Sgt. Donlin (as Robert Emmet O'Connor)
Tom Kennedy ... Uncle Jed
Tom Wilson ... Sandy, Guard
Eddie Foyer ... Dopey
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Additional Details

Runtime:
USA:87 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Aspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
Finland:(Banned)
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Director George W. Hill threatened to fire anyone who "acted", and forbade makeup. more
Quotes:
[repeated line]
'Machine Gun' Butch Schmidt: Who, me?
more
Movie Connections:
Edited into Crime Does Not Pay Series No. 1 Entitled 'Buried Loot' (1935) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful:-
Classic--a prison drama written by a woman!, 19 March 2003
10/10
Author: Wayne Malin (wwaayynnee51@hotmail.com) from United States

This is the prison drama that set the pattern for all later ones.

Robert Montgomery is sent to prison and encounters hard-bitten Wallace Berry and regular guy Chester Morris. He's a nice guy but prison life slowly begins to change him. That's about all I'm going to say about the movie...it's well worth anybody's time to see it (it's only 86 minutes long).

It does lack the hard edge you might expect--the dialogue is tame (of course) and there's next to no violence, but the script is excellent (surprisingly written by a woman and a Oscar Winner) and the acting is just great--especially Berry (he was nominated for an Oscar but didn't win). It does have a sentimental, happy ending but it WAS made in 1930.

Well worth catching--TCM has an excellent print and shows it every once in a while. Also it's fun to see Robert Montgomery so young and handsome.

Best exchange: "Who me?" "Yes you."

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Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

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