MUTINY IN THE BIG HOUSE (1939) Charles Bickford, Barton MacLane & Pat Moriarity | Crime, Drama | B&W

Mutiny in the Big House is a 1939 American film directed by William Nigh.

SYNOPSIS
A young man forges a check in order to help his mother, but is caught and sentenced to 14 years in prison. The prison chaplain, seeing that the new arrival is a good man who's had some bad luck, sets out to help keep him out of trouble so he can serve his sentence and get out. However, his cellmate, a hardened con, sees the chaplain's interest in the young convict as something he can use in his planned jailbreak.

Father Joe Collins is a kindly but realistic prison chaplain who tries to bring some humanity behind the grim walls of a major penitentiary. One of his success stories is "Dad" Schultz, a kindly convict who was released after 20 years but found the outside world so overwhelming that he had a nervous breakdown. Father Collins convinces the prison officials to take him back as a civilian employee/gardener, so he will "feel at home".

Father Collins also takes an interest in Johnny Davis, an educated inmate who received an overly stiff sentence for forging a $10.00 check. Hardened lifer Red Manson does his best to lessen the influence of Father Collins among the inmates, while planning a mass breakout.

When the break begins, Davis wildly fires a rifle to keep Father Collins from being taken hostage. The distraction enables the guards to regain control of the prison.

CAST & CREW
Charles Bickford as Father Joe Collins
Barton MacLane as Red Manson
Pat Moriarity as Pat, the Warden
Dennis Moore as Johnny Davis
William Royle as Captain of Guards Ed Samson
Charley Foy as Convict Bitsy
George Cleveland as Convict "Dad" Schultz
Nigel De Brulier as Convict Mike Faleri
Eddie Foster as Convict Del
Richard Austin as Singing Jim
Russell Hopton as Convict Frankie

Directed by William Nigh
Written by Martin Mooney (original story), Robert Hardy Andrews
Produced by Grant Withers
Cinematography Harry Neumann
Edited by Russell F. Schoengarth
Production company Monogram Pictures
Release date 1939
Running time 83 minutes
Country United States
Language English