The Big House

The Big House (1930)

  • 80% of critics liked it
    (5 reviews)

  • 77% of users liked it
    (255 ratings)

Not the first of the prison pictures, but the one that truly put the genre on the map. Playboy Kent (Robert Montgomery), driving drunk, kills a couple of pedestrians and is sentenced to a 10-year manslaughter term. His cellmate is forger Morgan (Chester Morris), a tough but essentially decent con;… More

Play Trailer

Unrated, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By
George W. Hill, George Hill
Written By
Frances Marion
Genres
Drama, Classics
In Theaters
May 14, 1930 Wide
On DVD
Jun 22, 1994
Warner Bros.

Critic Reviews

  • Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

    A good early prison drama with a strong, Oscar-nominated performance of Wallace Beery as a tough murderer; Beery took over after Lon Chaney's sudden death.

  • Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    Despite its flaws, for those who love this genre it's a must see film.

  • Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies

    Any niggling doubts about the film disappear in the last twenty minutes.

  • Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

    Great early prison drama from the ever-inventive George Hill.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Stella D


    an early prison break film. robert montgomery is completely overshadowed by the now forgotten actor chester morris. i'm afraid montgomery would be everyone's bitch at prison. wallace beery is fun and this film made him a huge star. frances marion became the first woman… More

Cast

See full cast

Trailers & Clips

facebook_logo

Now you can share movies with your friends on Facebook!

  • Discover movies your friends are watching
  • Keep track of what you want to see
  • Add your reviews to your Timeline