Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954)

Director:

Don Siegel

Writer:

Richard Collins (writer)

Release Date:

28 February 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Walter Wanger's RAW-TRUTH EXPOSE!

Plot:

Producer Walter Wanger, who had just been released from a prison term after shooting a man he believed was having an affair with his wife...

Plot Keywords:

Prison

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Neville Brand	...	James V. Dunn
Emile Meyer	...	Warden Reynolds
Frank Faylen	...	Commissioner Haskell
Leo Gordon	...	Crazy Mike Carnie
Robert Osterloh	...	The Colonel
Paul Frees	...	Guard Monroe
Don Keefer	...	Reporter
Alvy Moore	...	Gator
Dabbs Greer	...	Schuyler
Whit Bissell	...	Guard Snader
James Anderson	...	Guard Acton
Carleton Young	...	Captain of the Guards Barrett
Harold J. Kennedy	...	Reporter
William Schallert	...	Reporter
Jonathan Hole	...	Reporter Russell

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (1955) | UK:(Banned) (1954) | West Germany:12 (nf) (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1955) | UK:15 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Folsom State Prison - 300 Prison Road, Represa, California, USA

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Trivia:

Leo Gordon had once served time for armed robbery at Folsom Prison. The guards remembered him as a troublemaker, and always made him enter and exit the prison separate from the cast and crew, and always strip-searched him.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Invasion of the Body Snatchers... An Interview with Kevin McCarthy (1985) (TV)

A gritty and solid drama despite being a bit stagy and clunky at times

It is a normal night in block 11 of the city jail. One prisoner calls a guard over to his cell for assistance but knocks him to the ground and grabs his keys. With the rest of the prisoners released one by one and the handful of block guards captured, ringleader Dunn demands the warden gets the press to the block. The plan is to expose the conditions and overcrowding that they live in, however negotiations between prisoners and the prison officials are slowed by the involvement of politicians as, in block 11, tensions build between the inmates.

Based on the experiences of producer Walt Wanger it is no surprise that the strength of this film is its documentary-feel. It is gritty and does feel pretty realistic and for the most part this does carry the film along well and make for a solid drama. At times it is far too stagy and has some dialogue scenes that scream "message" as they make the points in very obvious ways. The drama unfolds well though, despite the occasionally clunky script, and the interplay between those at the coalface and those in political power is convincing, as is the range of attitudes within the group of convicts themselves.

The acting isn't up to much, which is perhaps part of this being a low budget b-movie and they do struggle with the rather unnatural dialogue given to them at times. That said though, Brand does well as Dunn while Meyer's warden is solid if a little stiff. Faylen's politician is a bit too one dimensional to be of intelligent use but he serves his purpose. The support cast are mostly good wallpaper with turns from Gordon, Osterloh and others. Siegel directs with an eye for realism and grit, responsible for the film having an edge of realism.

Overall then, a solid drama with a gritty documentary feel. It is a bit stagy and has unnatural dialogue at times but mostly it is good enough to cover these weaknesses.