The Big House Overview:

The Big House (1930) was a Drama - Thriller/Suspense Film directed by George W. Hill and Ward Wing and produced by Irving Thalberg.

SYNOPSIS

Early talkie that set the stage for the countless men-behind-bars melodramas that followed. Grim depiction of the brutal conditions at an overcrowded prison that lead to a violent rebellion by angry prisoners.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

.

Academy Awards 1929/30 --- Ceremony Number 3 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorWallace BeeryNominated
Best PictureCosmopolitanNominated
Best WritingFrances MarionWon
.

BlogHub Articles:

The Criminal Code (1931): Howard Hawks in The Big House

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 25, 2022 From 4 Star Films

Although this is still a very early talkie, you can already see Howard Hawks developing a more intricate sense of dialogue which he would be known for in his pictures — most notably His Girl Friday. In the opening scene at the police station, we have dialogue piled on top of each other between... Read full article


Video of the Week: “Revolt in the Big House” trailer

By Marisa on Apr 22, 2015 From The Timothy Carey Experience

After another short break, I’m back with a vengeance! In fact, we’re crashing out tonight. Our video for this week is the trailer for R.G. Springsteen‘s prison melodrama Revolt in the Big House (1958). Timothy can be seen doing his thing as Ed “Bugsy” Kyle (aka “T... Read full article


Videos of the Week: “Revolt in the Big House” and Robert Blake

By Marisa on Nov 6, 2014 From The Timothy Carey Experience

D’OH! I was so busy yesterday I never got around to posting our regular Wednesday video. My apologies! So, to attempt to make up for my negligence, today you’re getting not one but two videos! Let’s start off with the one I should have posted last week but it hadn’t quite bee... Read full article


Pic of the Day: “Revolt in the Big House” promotional still

By Marisa on Oct 28, 2014 From The Timothy Carey Experience

To celebrate the long-awaited official commercial DVD release of Revolt in the Big House (1958), our pic today is another promotional still from that very film. Lou Gannon (Gene Evans) and Bugsy Kyle confer during said revolt. The Warner Archive Collection is a great source for several of Timothy&#... Read full article


Pic of the Day: “Revolt in the Big House” revisited

By Marisa on Jul 8, 2014 From The Timothy Carey Experience

Our pic today takes another look at Revolt in the Big House (1958), the low-budget prison yarn directed by R.G. Springsteen. Big man on campus Bugsy Kyle holds forth while his lackeys Red (John Dennis, in the back) and Al (Sam Edwards) look on in approval. My MSTie pals will recognize Edwards from ... Read full article


See all The Big House articles

Quotes from

No Quote for this film.

Facts about

In Frances Marion's original script, the characters played by Leila Hyams and Robert Montgomery were husband and wife. After the film flopped in a preview screening, MGM studio executive Irving Thalberg decided that the problem was that audiences, especially women, didn't want to see the Chester Morris character have an affair with a married woman. So the script was rewritten to make Montgomery and Hyams brother and sister. Scenes were reshot and the film, in its modified form, became a major hit.
Lon Chaney was originally cast in the role of Butch Schmidt. But due to his untimely illness, the role was given to Wallace Beery.
Wallace Beery's mess-hall diatribe is parodied by Leslie Nielsen in Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, when he goes undercover in the prison and complains about the quality of the food.
read more facts about The Big House...
Share this page:
Visit the Classic Movie Hub Blog CMH
Best Writing Oscar 1929/30






See more Academy Awards>>
Also directed by George W. Hill




More about George W. Hill >>
Also produced by Irving Thalberg




More about Irving Thalberg >>
Also released in 1930




See All 1930 films >>
More "Prison" films



See All "Prison" films >>