The Big House (1930)

In the turbulent world of The Big House (1930), Kent Marlowe, a youthful convict barely out of his twenties, finds himself grappling with a ten-year sentence for a manslaughter conviction caused by drunk driving. He is plunged into the labyrinth of an overpopulated prison, unprepared and ridden with fear. The prison's suffocating atmosphere and inability to cope with its surfeit of inmates forms a stark backdrop to Marlowe's narrative. Thrown into this punishing system, Kent, who doesn't perceive himself as a criminal and is bolstered by the love of his family, is forced to co-habit with two of the institution's most formidable inmates — John Morgan and Butch Schmidt, also known as Machine Gun Butch. These hardened criminals, notorious for their ruthless reputation and Butch's constant companion, a concealed knife, are serving time for robbery and murder respectively. Marlowe's life becomes a grim dance of survival, where he must adhere to the unspoken prison codes: never show weakness and never betray fellow inmates to the authorities. A sudden twist of fortune allows one of the inmates to escape, stirring up a tempest within the prison walls. The escapee, fueled by revenge against a perceived betrayal, plans his retribution. However, the world beyond the prison bars offers an unexpected perspective, making him question his loyalties and triggering a potential shift in his alliances. The free air and the taste of life outside might lead to surprising changes, especially concerning his former cellmates. The Big House weaves a chilling tale of prison life, exploring the human capacity for adaptation and the potential transformation of allegiances in the face of adversity.

The Big House is a crime movie featuring Chester Morris.

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