Big House, U.S.A.

Big House, U.S.A. is a 1955 American 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]

Big House, U.S.A.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHoward W. Koch
Produced byAubrey Schenck
Screenplay byJohn C. Higgins
Story byGeorge W. George
George F. Slavin
StarringBroderick Crawford
Ralph Meeker
Reed Hadley
William Talman
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Charles Bronson
Music byPaul Dunlap
CinematographyGordon Avil
Edited byJohn F. Schreyer
Production
company
Bel-Air Productions
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • March 3, 1955 (1955-03-03)
Running time
83 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

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 boy'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 of his cold, icy persona in court when he was convicted. 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

References
  1. "Big House, U.S.A. (1955) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  2. "Big House, U.S.A." TV Guide. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
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