description The Big House Overview
The Big House is a 1930 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film directed by George Hill, featuring Chester Morris and Wallace Beery. Written by Frances Marion, who received an Academy Award for its screenplay, the movie was an early example of the prison drama genre. It starred Lewis Stone and Robert Montgomery in this pre-Code production.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
info The Big House Specifications
| Country | United States |
| Year | 1930 |
help The Big House FAQ
Why is The Big House important to the prison-film genre?
The Big House helped establish enduring prison-drama conventions, including overcrowded cellblocks, hardened inmates, informants, escape plans, and institutional violence. MGM released the film in 1930, near the beginning of Hollywood's sound era.
Who are the main prisoners in The Big House?
Chester Morris plays Kent Marlowe, an inexperienced man imprisoned after a fatal drunk-driving incident. He shares a cell with Wallace Beery's violent Butch Schmidt and Robert Montgomery's more calculating Morgan.
Which Academy Award did Frances Marion win for The Big House?
Frances Marion won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Achievement for the film's screenplay. Douglas Shearer also won for sound recording, giving the early MGM prison drama two competitive Oscars.
Is The Big House a silent movie?
No. It is an English-language sound film directed by George W. Hill, and its dialogue, alarms, crowd noise, and cellblock acoustics were important to its impact. Silent versions were still sometimes prepared for theaters that had not completed the transition to sound.
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