Caged

There is undeniably some hokum in this 1950's crime drama, but this is still easily one of the best prison films ever, featuring top-notch performances by Eleanor Parker as the young innocent eventually hardened by the grim realities of prison life, and by Hope Emerson as the scary prison matron (both deservedly recieved Academy Award nominations for their work). This is a gripping, well-made story, highlighted further by moments of genuine power. One of my favorite 50's flicks.

Nineteen-year old girl, pregnant and excruciatingly innocent, winds up behind bars after conspiring with her husband to steal forty dollars (!). Once-daring and serious female lock-'em-up does benefit from John Cromwell's tight direction (with visual echoes of Tod Browning) and several fine performances, but mostly it's another genre melodrama with all the prison-staples intact. Eleanor Parker (as the new girl in the cell block), Hope Emerson (as the hissable matron) and the screenplay were all nominated for Oscars--which is more surprising actually than anything in the picture. The black-and-white cinematography isn't bad; as for the plot, you've seen it all before. Remade in 1962 as "House of Women". ** from ****

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Trailer—Caged

Caged

This film has to be the best prison film dealing with all women and the harsh punishment that they all had to endure. The Warden of the prison was played by Agnes Moorehead, (Ruth Benton) who was kind to the women, but had very little influence in obtaining funds for the prison and was controlled by the politicians. Ruth Benton also had a very corrupt prison matron named Evelyn Harper, (Hope Emerson) who was a wheel and dealer for squeezing money out of the prisoners for candy, cigarettes and lipstick etc., Evelyn also mistreated those who could not afford anything to give her and did horrible things to women almost every day. This is a very down to earth film which will always be a great film classic along with great veteran actors, namely, Jan Sterling,(Smoochie) and Jane Darwell, (Isolation Matron). Hope Emerson won an Academy Award Nomination for her role and was booed by the audience at the ceremony.

For reasons I cannot fathom, this film sometimes ends up on lists of the worst movies of all time; this despite Oscar nominations for Eleanor Parker and Hope Emerson. It has some of the best acting performances around, runs the gamut on "stock" characters, but well done and great black & white filming and lighting. It's terrifically engaging and one quickly gets wrapped up with the characters, some of whom are morally ambiguous and some of whom are just evil, and how they choose to cope in unbearable circumstances. It's a great movie and deserving of a lot more credit than it's gotten in the past. 10/10.

Eleanor Parker does a stunning job as a naive young woman who goes through the prison system, emerging hardened and bitter as she drives off in a car full of hoodlums. The film itself, though a bit hokey at times, is a chilling melodrama with a surprisingly frank script that hints at all kinds of corruption going on behind bars. Hope Emerson, as a brutal matron who gets her comeuppance, is outstanding. She and Parker were both nominated for Oscars and would have deserved them for their work here. Other women's prison films followed but none were up to the level of this absorbing shocker. The large cast is excellent. Agnes Moorehead is the weary warden who predicts Parker will be back. Ellen Corby does an outstanding cameo as a complaining whiner who blames the judge for her situation. Betty Garde, Jan Sterling, Lee Patrick, Jane Darwell and others are uniformly excellent under Vincent Sherman's direction. Summing up: a searing indictment of the prison system.

This film, of the genre, women in prison, or incarcerated.... is the best.. I cant understand why its not available on VHS or DVD !!!?? Brilliant performances by Eleanor Parker, Agnes Moorehead, and especially, Hope Emerson, as the prison matron... were all outstanding!! Parker & Emerson were Oscar nominated, and in a year (1950) which gave us, "All About Eve" , "Sunset Blvd", and others, that was no easy feat!!...Parkers beauty and innocence gave the film its sensitivity & vulnerability... Moorehead was also outstanding (as always) but Emerson defined the role of prison matron.. forever!!.wow what a monster....!!! what a performance.. !!watch for the lesbian moments as Emerson attempts to control the "girls" esp. Parker.. Nice moments by Gertrude Hoffmann (later Mrs Odettes in TVs "My Little Margie",) as the older inmate.... and the entire cast... a gem... dont miss.... and please reissue on video......