The Big House
“Timely! Tremendous! Thrilling! Drama of Love and a Jail-Break!”
Synopsis
Convicted of manslaughter for a drunken driving accident, Kent Marlowe is sent to prison, where he meets vicious incarcerated figures who are planning an escape from the brutal conditions.
Top Cast
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Chester Morris
John Morgan
Wallace Beery
Machine Gun 'Butch' Schmidt
Lewis Stone
Warden James Adams
Robert Montgomery
Kent Marlowe
Leila Hyams
Anne Marlowe
George F. Marion
Pop
J. C. Nugent
Mr. Marlowe
Karl Dane
Olsen
DeWitt Jennings
Wallace
Matthew Betz
Gopher
Claire McDowell
Mrs. Marlowe
Robert Emmett O'Connor
Donlin
Tom Wilson
Sandy
Eddie Foyer
Dopey
Roscoe Ates
Putnam
Fletcher Norton
Oliver
Noah Beery Jr.
Convict in Yard (uncredited)
Chris-Pin Martin
Inmate (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Festival / Special Debut
June 14, 1930
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- George W. Hill
- Screenplay & Story
- Frances Marion
- Original Title
- The Big House
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 27m
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Cosmopolitan Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
George W. Hill
Frances Marion
Harold Wenstrom
Blanche Sewell
Irving Thalberg
Department Leadership Roster
Harold Wenstrom
Director of Photography
Blanche Sewell
Editor
Irving Thalberg
Producer
George W. Hill
Director
David Cox
Costume Design
Frances Marion
Writer
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 The Big House.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Big House.
Movies - Live Action
Sleeping In
Movies to watch if you have time to sleep in.
Public Domain
Movies in the public domain in the United States. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States archive.org
Pre-Code Hollywood
Pre-Code Hollywood films, 1929 to 1934.
Academy Awards - Best Sound-Sound Mixing Winners 1929-2025
Academy Awards winners archive (Best Sound-Sound Mixing Winners 1929-2025)
Academy Awards - Best Adapted Screenplay Winners 1928-2025
Academy Awards winners archive (Best Adapted Screenplay Winners 1928-2025)
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Big House
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Big House about?
Convicted of manslaughter for a drunken driving accident, Kent Marlowe is sent to prison, where he meets vicious incarcerated figures who are planning an escape from the brutal conditions.
Who directed The Big House?
The Big House was directed by George W. Hill.
Who stars in The Big House?
The principal cast of The Big House includes Chester Morris, Wallace Beery, Lewis Stone, Robert Montgomery, Leila Hyams.
When was The Big House released and how long is it?
The Big House was released in 1930 with a total runtime of 1h 27m.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Big House?
The Big House holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).