Caged (B+ or 3/4 stars)
Meek 19 yr. old Marie (Eleanor Parker) is sent to prison for aiding her husband in a small robbery in 'Caged' (directed by John Cromwell). The prison is run by the sadistic matron, Evelyn Harper (towering 6'2", 230 lb. Hope Emerson), who is secure in her job due to her connections with corrupt politician. Ruth Benton (Agnes Moorehead) is the sympathetic warden, who wants to rehabilitate the inmates instead of treating them like dogs. Marie is assigned to work the laundry room because she doesn't have $$ to bribe Harper, like many inmates do. Marie also discovers she is pregnant without a husband, who died during the robbery.
After her baby is born prematurely in prison, it is given up for adoption because her selfish mother refuses to raise it. The more Marie is exposed to the cold, harsh cruelties of prison life & the claustrophobia of the prison, the more desperate she becomes. After 10 months, her 1st parole is denied. To put it lightly, she flips out. And this leads her to hook up with Elvira Powell (Lee Patrick), a vice queen who has the connections to get her a parole in the coming year. Well, hopefully.
This stellar movie does well to show Marie's slow, but steady disillusionment with society, her loss of sanity, & her decision to become a prostitute if-&-when she gets out. Also impressive is the filmmaker's visual realization of prison life and how claustrophobic it truly is. And something else this movie goes to show is that sometimes the staff is scarier than the inmates! This excellent, if grim drama is uncompromising in showing the plight of Marie (there's very little levity in the proceedings). Under director John Cromwell's expert direction, actress Eleanor Parker gives a focused, low-key, then later, an emotionally-charged performance; thoroughly convincing us of her metamorphosis from a innocent, bewildered 19 yr. old girl to an embittered, hardened criminal. It's sad to watch.
Eleanor Parker even changes her voice from quiet to brassy by the end of the film. She executes the innocence-to-hardened transition superbly; well, maybe sans one particular scene where she goes wayyyy overboard in her reaction to be turned down for her parole -- talk about histrionics!! Elsewhere, Agnes Moorehead is very good as the concerned warden. Hope Emerson made my skin crawl as the vile matron who doesn't believe that any of these women deserve a 2nd chance. Ooooh, how I wanted to clock her one. But that's good; means her performance was effective. And the rest of the ensemble cast is excellent, as well.
'Caged' is known as one of the best women-in-prison films Hollywood has ever made. I suppose that's saying a lot? I don't think it's a homerun movie but, sure, for women-in-prison films ... I could certainly see an argument for that. The film's message is that punishment without rehabilitation doesn't work. Punishment without rehab will likely force inmates into choosing an easy way out. But really. Really, folks ... 'Caged' is - for the most part - simply a juicy, well-acted melodrama. There are plenty of hysterics. There's preachiness about being virtuous in life or you'll always end up in or back in jail. That's not a slam on the movie. I think it's a good one. It has 'something' to say. But it's little more than an opportunity for Eleanor Parker to bite into a meaty role & deliver the goods - and so she does.
After her baby is born prematurely in prison, it is given up for adoption because her selfish mother refuses to raise it. The more Marie is exposed to the cold, harsh cruelties of prison life & the claustrophobia of the prison, the more desperate she becomes. After 10 months, her 1st parole is denied. To put it lightly, she flips out. And this leads her to hook up with Elvira Powell (Lee Patrick), a vice queen who has the connections to get her a parole in the coming year. Well, hopefully.
This stellar movie does well to show Marie's slow, but steady disillusionment with society, her loss of sanity, & her decision to become a prostitute if-&-when she gets out. Also impressive is the filmmaker's visual realization of prison life and how claustrophobic it truly is. And something else this movie goes to show is that sometimes the staff is scarier than the inmates! This excellent, if grim drama is uncompromising in showing the plight of Marie (there's very little levity in the proceedings). Under director John Cromwell's expert direction, actress Eleanor Parker gives a focused, low-key, then later, an emotionally-charged performance; thoroughly convincing us of her metamorphosis from a innocent, bewildered 19 yr. old girl to an embittered, hardened criminal. It's sad to watch.
Eleanor Parker even changes her voice from quiet to brassy by the end of the film. She executes the innocence-to-hardened transition superbly; well, maybe sans one particular scene where she goes wayyyy overboard in her reaction to be turned down for her parole -- talk about histrionics!! Elsewhere, Agnes Moorehead is very good as the concerned warden. Hope Emerson made my skin crawl as the vile matron who doesn't believe that any of these women deserve a 2nd chance. Ooooh, how I wanted to clock her one. But that's good; means her performance was effective. And the rest of the ensemble cast is excellent, as well.
'Caged' is known as one of the best women-in-prison films Hollywood has ever made. I suppose that's saying a lot? I don't think it's a homerun movie but, sure, for women-in-prison films ... I could certainly see an argument for that. The film's message is that punishment without rehabilitation doesn't work. Punishment without rehab will likely force inmates into choosing an easy way out. But really. Really, folks ... 'Caged' is - for the most part - simply a juicy, well-acted melodrama. There are plenty of hysterics. There's preachiness about being virtuous in life or you'll always end up in or back in jail. That's not a slam on the movie. I think it's a good one. It has 'something' to say. But it's little more than an opportunity for Eleanor Parker to bite into a meaty role & deliver the goods - and so she does.