The Big House

Audience Reviews

View More

Leaburn O @RT35452347 Jun 14, 2026 Ok it’s hardly Shawshank but it is a fun watch and surprisingly well thought through as a plot for the era. Acting a bit hammy but feels ahead of its time. Watched on Amazon Prime. See more Allan C @RT15713161 Mar 16, 2026 Dated, but engaging prison drama The Big House (1930) *** A somewhat dated but engaging pre-Code prison drama, The Big House follows a naive inmate learning prison life from a hardened criminal and builds to a surprisingly brutal riot finale that helped set the template for later prison films. FULL REVIEW ON LETTERBOXED See more Peter V @RT78913669 Jan 28, 2026 A film of realism in prison life with Wallace Berry particularly effective as a burly inmate. This film’s commitment to gritty realism is a defining strength, inviting the viewer to experience the claustrophobic tension and the daily struggle for survival inside a maximum-security penitentiary where a prisoner is allegorised as a ‘bug’ and the system critiqued for what it is worth or not worth. There is no sugar-coating here; the audience is subjected to the monotony and brutality of prison life. Wallace Beery’s portrayal of Butch, the hardened, larger-than-life inmate, sits at the core of this realism and elevates the film’s impact. Beery’s Butch is fierce, capable of both violence and moments of surprising tenderness. However, I can't recommend the film wholeheartedly which is less on accountability. All the same, it packs a punch and makes one think about one’s emotional and otherwise relationship with the prison world and those in it. See more Mark B @SRT102 Jan 14, 2025 There have been so many big-budget prison films and standout series like HBO's Oz, that it's hard to imagine a time when these stories were fresh. Even with the one-dimensional characters, the story keeps pace. Two things kept coming into my mind: These are the oldest corrections officers I've ever seen, and I'm wondering why they cast two nearly identical actors (Chester Morris and Robert Montgomery) as two of leads. In the crappy, 480p version that I watched, I truly had a difficult time telling which was which. #454 in my "watch ever BP nominated film" bucket list. See more ChrisCSH H @RT12343453 Sep 9, 2024 The big house is a film that was way ahead of its time this early Academy award best picture nominee showing the inner workings of a prison and the mundane, and shocking every day tasks. The direction by George W Hill was incredibly shot along with magnificent acting of Wallace Berry, and the climax of the film will leave many people shocked. See more michael d @RT16138633 Dec 13, 2021 As one of the first prison movies, this inspired others in this genre. This early example of prison melodrama is still entertaining. This is still good, hard-bitten stuff with one of Beery's best tough guy roles. See more Read all reviews

The Big House

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING