When young, wealthy Kent (Robert Montgomery) is sentenced to ten years for vehicular manslaughter, he is thrown into a dangerously overcrowded maximum-security prison. Placed in a cell with hardened convict Morgan (Chester Morris) and the volatile, ruthless Butch (Wallace Beery), Kent is exposed to the brutal realities of life behind bars. As overcrowding, corrupt guards, and harsh conditions push the inmates to the breaking point, Butch plans a bloody, desperate prison break. The Big House (1930) is an Oscar-winning pre-Code masterpiece directed by George Hill that set the cinematic standard for all prison films that followed. 🎬 DIRECTORS George W. Hill (as George Hill) Ward Wing — additional director (uncredited) ✍️ WRITERS Frances Marion — story and dialogue Joseph Farnham (as Joe Farnham) — additional dialogue Martin Flavin — additional dialogue 🎭 CAST Chester Morris — Morgan Wallace Beery — Butch Lewis Stone — Warden Robert Montgomery — Kent Leila Hyams — Anne George F. Marion — Pop J.C. Nugent — Mr. Marlowe Karl Dane — Olsen DeWitt Jennings — Wallace Matthew Betz (as Mathew Betz) — Gopher Claire McDowell — Mrs. Marlowe Robert Emmett O’Connor (as Robert Emmet O’Connor) — Donlin Tom Kennedy — Uncle Jed (scenes deleted) Tom Wilson — Sandy Eddie Foyer — Dopey Roscoe Ates (as Rosco Ates) — Putnam Fletcher Norton — Oliver 🎭 GENRES Crime, Drama, Thriller 🎬 ALSO KNOWN AS (AKA) The Big House — 🎬 Original title, 🇦🇷 Argentina, 🇦🇺 Australia, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom, 🇺🇸 United States The Big House (English) — 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇮🇳 India, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇳🇿 New Zealand, 🇿🇦 South Africa The Big House (French) — 🇨🇦 Canada Das graue Haus — 🇦🇹 Austria O Presídio — 🇧🇷 Brazil Голямата къща (Bulgarian) — 🇧🇬 Bulgaria Velika kuća — 🇭🇷 Croatia Velika kuća (Serbian, literal title) — 🏴 Yugoslavia Mennesker bag Gitret — 🇩🇰 Denmark Kymmenen vuoden tuomio — 🇫🇮 Finland Vankilaristikon takaa — 🇫🇮 Finland Big House — 🇫🇷 France Hölle hinter Gittern — 🇩🇪 Germany Sta katerga (transliterated title) — 🇬🇷 Greece Carcere — 🇮🇹 Italy Biggu hausu — 🇯🇵 Japan ビッグ・ハウス (Japanese) — 🇯🇵 Japan Szary dom — 🇵🇱 Poland Casa cea mare — 🇷🇴 Romania Казенный дом (Russian) — ☭ Soviet Union El presidio — 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇺🇸 United States (Spanish) Demir kapı (Turkish) — 🇹🇷 Turkey
