Big House, U.S.A.
| Big House, U.S.A. | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Howard W. Koch |
| Produced by | Aubrey Schenck |
| Screenplay by | John C. Higgins |
| Story by |
George W. George George F. Slavin |
| Starring |
Broderick Crawford Ralph Meeker Reed Hadley William Talman Lon Chaney, Jr. Charles Bronson |
| Music by | Paul Dunlap |
| Cinematography | Gordon Avil |
| Edited by | John F. Schreyer |
Production company |
Bel-Air Productions Camden Productions |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Big House, U.S.A. is a 1955 film noir crime film directed by Howard W. Koch and written by John C. Higgins. The film stars Broderick Crawford, Ralph Meeker, Reed Hadley, William Talman, Lon Chaney, Jr., and Charles Bronson. The film was released on March 3, 1955, by United Artists.[1][2]
Plot
In a Colorado national park, a boy having an asthma attack is approached by a nurse, Emily Evans, with a syringe. Frightened of needles, the boy flees into the woods, where Jerry Barker finds him.
Park ranger Erickson tries to calm wealthy Robertson Lambert, the missing boy's frantic father. Barker demands a $200,000 ransom for the kid's safe return. But while collecting the money, Barker leaves behind the boy, who accidentally falls to his death. Barker coldly disposes of the body and buries most of the money.
Caught by agent Madden of the FBI, Barker is convicted of extortion, but not murder because no corpse is found. He is sent to prison, where the warden hopes to intimidate Barker by throwing the child killer together with four of the most hardened convicts in stir, bank robber Rollo Lamar, smuggler Alamo Smith, and cold-blooded killers Mason and Kelly.
Barker becomes known as the "ice man" because he shows no fear. He also gains the prisoners' trust after discovering their escape plan and not informing. But when they take him along on the breakout, it is not out of friendship but because they're after the hidden ransom money.
Madden is in hot pursuit. He has discovered that Emily, the nurse, had been in on Barker's scheme from the start. Back in the park, the fugitives turn on one another until only two are left. Mason is gunned down, and Lamar begs for his life. The money is recovered, Barker is going back to prison, and Emily's given a sentence behind bars of her own.
Cast
- Broderick Crawford as Rollo Lamar
- Ralph Meeker as Jerry Barker
- Reed Hadley as Special FBI Agent James Madden
- William Talman as William 'Machine Gun' Mason
- Lon Chaney, Jr. as Alamo Smith
- Charles Bronson as Benny Kelly
- Felicia Farr as Emily Euridice Evans
- Roy Roberts as Chief Ranger Will Erickson
- Willis Bouchey as Robertson Lambert
- Peter J. Votrian as Danny Lambert
- Robert Bray as Ranger McCormick
References
- ↑ "Big House, U.S.A. (1955) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ↑ "Big House, U.S.A.". TV Guide. Retrieved 22 October 2014.