Penitentiary
“Drama Whipping Your Emotions to Fever Pitch!; ONE LESS...FOR THE "BIG HOUSE"!”
Synopsis
The story of a D.A. who becomes a prison warden and winds up overseeing the sentence of a man he prosecuted.
Top Cast
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Walter Connolly
Dist. Atty. Thomas Mathews
John Howard
William Jordan
Jean Parker
Elizabeth Mathews
Robert Barrat
Prison Yard Capt. Grady
Marc Lawrence
Jack Hawkins
Arthur Hohl
Finch
Charles Halton
Leonard Nettleford
Edward Van Sloan
Dr. Rinewulf
Marjorie Main
Miss Katie Mathews
Stanley Andrews
Prison Captain Dorn (uncredited)
Ward Bond
Red Parsons - Prison Barber (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
February 5, 1938
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Brahm
- Screenplay & Story
- Fred Niblo Jr., Seton I. Miller
- Original Title
- Penitentiary
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 14m
- Production Studios
- Columbia Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Brahm
Fred Niblo Jr., Seton I. Miller, Louis Silvers, Ben Oakland, Martin Flavin
Lucien Ballard
Robert North
Department Leadership Roster
Fred Niblo Jr.
Screenplay
Robert North
Producer
Seton I. Miller
Screenplay
Lucien Ballard
Director of Photography
John Brahm
Director
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Penitentiary.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Penitentiary.
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B-Movies
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Frequently Asked Questions About Penitentiary
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Penitentiary about?
The story of a D.A. who becomes a prison warden and winds up overseeing the sentence of a man he prosecuted.
Who directed Penitentiary?
Penitentiary was directed by John Brahm.
Who stars in Penitentiary?
The principal cast of Penitentiary includes Walter Connolly, John Howard, Jean Parker, Robert Barrat, Marc Lawrence.
When was Penitentiary released and how long is it?
Penitentiary was released in 1938 with a total runtime of 1h 14m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Penitentiary?
Penitentiary holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).