evanston_dad One of the earliest prison break movies and a Best Picture nominee from the 1929-30 award year at the Academy Awards."The Big House" suffers from lack of focus. Wallace Beery, as a hardened inmate, received the Best Actor Oscar nomination, but the film is really much more about Robert Montgomery, newly incarcerated and navigating the ins and outs of prison life, until it's no longer about him and is instead about Chester Morris, who escapes and falls in love with Montgomery's sister before being captured and sent back to the slammer. The film's money shot is a big shoot out at the end, during which all of the principal characters die. This grim, gritty stuff distinguishes the film as pre-Code, and it's the movie's pre-Code status that allows it to get away with the moral ambiguity in not really having good guys and bad guys and making the audience unsure of who it's supposed to be rooting for.Being an early sound film, "The Big House" is almost by definition uneven, since filmmakers were trying to figure out what movies should look and sound like with the addition of the new medium. But many clearly thought Douglas Shearer, brother of Norma and head of the MGM sound department at the time, handled sound well, as this film has the distinction of being the very first winner of the Sound Recording Oscar. Workhorse screenwriter Frances Marion also won an Oscar for Best Writing, in a year that saw her go up against the formidable competition of "All Quiet on the Western Front" no less.Grade: B

MartinHafer Over the decades, there have been tons of prison films. Most are pretty entertaining, however, a few, such as "The Big House", are great films and must be seen by serious film buffs. It's not surprising that this film took the Oscar for Best Writing, as Francis Marion's script was the biggest reason this film was so good. It also didn't hurt that you had three exceptional actors (Chester Morris, Wallace Beery and Robert Montgomery) in the leads as well as George Hill's wonderful direction. While Beery was the one who was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar, for me, the best performance in the film was Montgomery's--he played his part with an amazing intensity you just need to see. As for Morris, he was, as usual, very believable and professional.The film begins with Kent (Montgomery) arriving in prison. He doesn't feel he belongs there--after all, his killing a person was just an accident, as he was drunk! However, the warden (Lewis Stone) will have none of this and tells Kent he's earned ten years in prison. Through much of the early portion of the film, Kent felt very sorry for himself and kept asking his family about an appeal. I really felt annoyed at this, as Kent seemed to only think about himself and showed no remorse at all. Fortunately, the film did NOT paint him as a victim but as a spineless little jerk--and as the film progresses, you see just how spineless and evil he could be.Kent has two cell-mates. Butch (Beery) is a sociopathic bully who pushes everyone around except for Morgan (Morris)--and Morgan is the third man in this cell. As for Morgan, he's tough but there is also a certain decency about him and although Beery got the Oscar nomination for Best Actor, clearly Morris was THE star in this film and the movie mostly focused on this guy. As far as what happens next, I really would rather not discuss this as it is just better if you see it for yourself.As I said above, Montgomery was the standout in this film. His terrified look and pusillanimous body language were great. While he's not usually thought of as a great actor, here in one of his first films he is mesmerizing. The other two are also wonderful--and Lewis Stone is wonderful as the tough but very reasonable warden. But, if you see the film, you'll also realize that the biggest star really is Marion's script. The film is gritty and realistic without being bogged down by clichés. I also loved the direction, as the camera angles and almost film noir-like camera-work really were striking. Well worth your time and proof that early talkies could be just as good as anything made today.

kidboots Prison pictures were still raw and exciting in 1930 and this was the grand daddy of them all!!! I disagree with the reviewer - I think this film is every bit as good as a Warner Bros. crime movie. Wallace Beery is a revelation as "Butch" - a character, that a few years down the track would become a staple in almost every prison movie.Kent Marlowe (Robert Montgomery) a wealthy youth, who is used to having his parents fight his battles for him, is sentenced to 10 years for manslaughter - he kills a man while driving drunk. Lewis Stone plays the stern warden, while George F. Marion plays his "conscience", Pop Ryker. There are several speeches against the antiquated prison system, the overcrowding, which leads to putting first timers into cells with hardened criminals. This is what happens to Kent - he is to share a cell with "Butch" (Wallace Beery) an unrepentant murderer - "you never heard of the Delancy gang wipe out - well, I done the wiping!!!" and also Morgan (Chester Morris) a criminal who still has humanity. He tries to give Kent advice about surviving in prison but Kent is drawn to the prison stoolie!!!There are some wonderful visual highlights - the prison food hall - prisoners are shown eating at what a few seconds before were empty tables. There is then a protest about the food, which "Butch" leads. Morgan is keeping a low profile as he is due to be released. During visiting time Morgan sees Ann, who is visiting her brother, Kent. Kent is of course whining and complaining about how he can't take things in here anymore and why can't she do something about it. He is cowardly - Robert Montgomery is just excellent and has perfected the wild eyed stare - and through his actions, ruins Morgan's chance of getting an early release. Both Morgan and "Butch" are put in solitary confinement and when they are released Morgan makes a daring escape via the prison morgue.While out he visits Anne's bookstore but she suspects who he is as her brother has written her a letter. She bravely apprehends him with his own gun until he manages to convince her that he means no harm. A local detective thinks he recognizes him and after a few months of freedom (he makes a new start, falls in love with Anne) he is taken back to prison.There is to be a prison breakout (shades of "20,000,000 Years in Sing Sing" (1933)). "Butch" has it timed for noon but Kent has already squealed to the Warden and the guards are waiting for them and because Morgan has refused to join the mob, "Butch" thinks he is the one who leaked the plans. The mob scenes are excellently handled and the siege is very exciting. They even bring in the tanks!!!Although I haven't seen Robert Montgomery in a lot of films, I don't think I have ever seen him act in a more convincing way. Leila Hyams was also an actress who tackled some pretty unusual roles as well. After a few ordinary roles she was surprisingly cast as the circus girl in "Freaks" - but this role was different as well. She plays Anne Marlowe, a compassionate girl, who is not afraid to use a gun to defend herself and also runs her own business.Highly Recommended.

angelcitygal I saw "The Big House" last night as part of Turner Classic Movies' tribute to Frances Marion, the great female screenwriter. Marion became the first woman to win an Academy Award for screenwriting for her work on this film."The Big House" is a fascinating character study, showing how three very different men deal with being imprisoned. Butch (Wallace Beery) lords over all of the men with a knife and threats of violence. John Morgan (Chester Morris) is smart enough to befriend Butch and his crew, but keeps his own set of values. Newcomer Kent Marlowe (Robert Montgomery) is terrified of prison and eventually turns "rat" in hopes of being released.The film also infers that the public at large is partly to blame for the discontent (and eventual unrest) within the prison: at one moment, the head warden says something to the effect of the public wanting to put criminals in prison, but not wanting to spend the money to build more prisons to accommodate them. This is issue is still debated to this day.I also found the portrayal of the lone female character, Anne Marlowe (Kent's sister, played by Leila Hyams), very refreshing and unexpected. Instead of the crying, simpering type we might expect in a prison movie, we are given a smart and compassionate woman who owns her own business.All of the actors gave excellent, realistic performances and Frances Marion's screenplay was well-deserving of the accolades it received. The insight and sensitivity that she used to write about these characters and this place surpasses most of the scripts written by men on the same subject.