Unchained
“What keeps them from crashing out?”
Synopsis
This fact-based prison drama tells the tale of a band of prisoners living in the innovative 2,600-acre prison at Chino, California. The place takes a humanistic approach to reform and there are no armed guards, no lockups and no uniforms. The underlying philosophy is that if these things are not there, the prisoners will not want to escape, and will instead accept their punishment. A new inmate arrives and soon accustoms himself to the new idea. The story includes the Oscar nominated song Unchained Melody.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch
Steve Davitt
Barbara Hale
Mary Davitt
Chester Morris
Kenyon Scudder
Todd Duncan
Bill Howard
Johnny Johnston
Eddie Garrity
Peggy Knudsen
Elaine
Jerry Paris
Joe Ravens
John Qualen
Leonard Haskins
Tim Considine
Win Davitt
Stafford Repp
Mr. Miller
Bill Kennedy
Sanders
Kathryn Grant
Sally Haskins
Robert Patten
Swanson (uncredited)
Mack Williams
Mr. Johnson (uncredited)
Sol Gorss
Police captain (uncredited)
Henry Nakamura
Jerry Hakara (uncredited)
Don Kennedy
Mike Gladstone (uncredited)
Dexter Gordon
Saxophone Player (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 25, 1955
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Hall Bartlett
- Screenplay & Story
- Hy Zaret, Hall Bartlett, Kenyon J. Scudder
- Original Score
- Alex North
- Original Title
- Unchained
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 15m
- Production Studios
- Hall Bartlett Productions, Warner Bros. Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Hall Bartlett
Hy Zaret, Hall Bartlett, Kenyon J. Scudder
Alex North
Virgil Miller
Cotton Warburton
Department Leadership Roster
Hall Bartlett
Director
Cotton Warburton
Editor
Virgil Miller
Director of Photography
Hall Bartlett
Writer
Alex North
Original Music Composer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Unchained.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Unchained.
list4
My Film List
MovieLens[20K:30K]
Oscar Best Song Nominees
Complete list of Oscar Best Song Nominees
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Similar Titles to Unchained
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
5.0
5.6
7.5
6.4
6.9
5.2
6.7
5.1
7.5
6.8
6.6
6.8
6.2
6.6
6.7
7.3
5.4
6.7
7.1
More Like Unchained
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Unchained
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Unchained about?
This fact-based prison drama tells the tale of a band of prisoners living in the innovative 2,600-acre prison at Chino, California. The place takes a humanistic approach to reform and there are no armed guards, no lockups and no uniforms. The underlying philosophy is that if these things are not there, the prisoners will not want to escape, and will instead accept their punishment. A new inmate arrives and soon accustoms himself to the new idea. The story includes the Oscar nominated song Unchained Melody.
Who directed Unchained?
Unchained was directed by Hall Bartlett.
Who stars in Unchained?
The principal cast of Unchained includes Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch, Barbara Hale, Chester Morris, Todd Duncan, Johnny Johnston.
When was Unchained released and how long is it?
Unchained was released in 1955 with a total runtime of 1h 15m.
Who composed the musical score for Unchained?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Unchained was composed by Alex North.
Is Unchained based on a book or true story?
Unchained is adapted from the following source material: Book: "Kenyon J. Scudder".