042: The Big House (1930) - released 6/14/1930; viewed 3/26/06.
Chicago Tribune journalist Alfred Liddle is shot in Chicago, apparently due to mafia ties.
BIRTHS: Clint Eastwood.
DOUG: It's good to see our Wallace Beery fitting so well into a sound film, with his gruff, raspy voice going well with his intimidating physique. Although the story is told from Morgan's and Kent's points of view, it's Butch who steals the show (Beery was nominated for Lead Actor, after all). The movie starts off from Kent's point of view, as he is incarcerated for a DUI and vehicular manslaughter. After he's there for a while, the film then shifts to Morgan's point of view, as Kent betrays him (on the day of Morgan's parole no less) in hopes of getting some time off (such is the Prisoner's Dilemma). Morgan escapes, and hooks up with Kent's sister on the outside (it used to be his wife, but audiences were turned off by this turn of events). At first we're on Kent's side, but as he starts to cave, our sympathy shifts to Morgan in a most interesting way. The climax is a thrilling gun battle in the prison, and in the end, one of our heroes dies and the other goes free. Overall, a very good genre picture.
KEVIN: More fun from Frances Marion (the most celebrated woman screenwriter in Hollywood history), who here tackles a much grittier subject: the prison movie. This film is really a three-man ensemble, consisting of Morgan (Chester Morris), Kent (Robert Montgomery), and Butch (big bad Wallace Beery). When the film starts, I thought it would be all about Kent, trying to keep his head on straight while serving his manslaughter sentence. The focus begins to shift when he reaches his cell and meets 'Machine Gun' Butch and the charismatic brains to his brawn, John Morgan. Very quickly the story shifts to Morgan after Kent double-crosses him and Morgan later escapes. But Butch can hardly be regarded as the third-place character, as his mere presence virtually dwarfs the other two men. It's definitely not the greatest prison picture that could be made. The directing is average, the action scenes are spectacularly implausible, and the sound effects are notably sloppy, but it's certainly an enjoyable character-driven action yarn, guided by Marion's expert pen.
Last film: Hell's Angels (1930). Next film viewed: Animal Crackers (1930). Next film chronologically: Monte Carlo (1930)
Chicago Tribune journalist Alfred Liddle is shot in Chicago, apparently due to mafia ties.
BIRTHS: Clint Eastwood.
DOUG: It's good to see our Wallace Beery fitting so well into a sound film, with his gruff, raspy voice going well with his intimidating physique. Although the story is told from Morgan's and Kent's points of view, it's Butch who steals the show (Beery was nominated for Lead Actor, after all). The movie starts off from Kent's point of view, as he is incarcerated for a DUI and vehicular manslaughter. After he's there for a while, the film then shifts to Morgan's point of view, as Kent betrays him (on the day of Morgan's parole no less) in hopes of getting some time off (such is the Prisoner's Dilemma). Morgan escapes, and hooks up with Kent's sister on the outside (it used to be his wife, but audiences were turned off by this turn of events). At first we're on Kent's side, but as he starts to cave, our sympathy shifts to Morgan in a most interesting way. The climax is a thrilling gun battle in the prison, and in the end, one of our heroes dies and the other goes free. Overall, a very good genre picture.
KEVIN: More fun from Frances Marion (the most celebrated woman screenwriter in Hollywood history), who here tackles a much grittier subject: the prison movie. This film is really a three-man ensemble, consisting of Morgan (Chester Morris), Kent (Robert Montgomery), and Butch (big bad Wallace Beery). When the film starts, I thought it would be all about Kent, trying to keep his head on straight while serving his manslaughter sentence. The focus begins to shift when he reaches his cell and meets 'Machine Gun' Butch and the charismatic brains to his brawn, John Morgan. Very quickly the story shifts to Morgan after Kent double-crosses him and Morgan later escapes. But Butch can hardly be regarded as the third-place character, as his mere presence virtually dwarfs the other two men. It's definitely not the greatest prison picture that could be made. The directing is average, the action scenes are spectacularly implausible, and the sound effects are notably sloppy, but it's certainly an enjoyable character-driven action yarn, guided by Marion's expert pen.
Last film: Hell's Angels (1930). Next film viewed: Animal Crackers (1930). Next film chronologically: Monte Carlo (1930)