Lady in a Cage (1964)

The lady is Mrs. Hilyard, a wealthy poetess who lives in a three-story city mansion and her cage is her elevator, which stops a dozen feet short of the main floor due to an electrical ... See full summary »

Director:

Walter Grauman

Writer:

Luther Davis

Stars:

Olivia de Havilland, James Caan, Jennifer Billingsley

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Olivia de Havilland	...	Mrs. Cornelia Hilyard
James Caan	...	Randall Simpson O'Connell
Jennifer Billingsley	...	Elaine
Rafael Campos	...	Essie
William Swan	...	Malcolm Hilyard
Jeff Corey	...	George L. Brady Jr. aka Repent
Ann Sothern	...	Sade

Storyline

The lady is Mrs. Hilyard, a wealthy poetess who lives in a three-story city mansion and her cage is her elevator, which stops a dozen feet short of the main floor due to an electrical failure on a July 4th weekend. She rings her outside alarm, eventually noticed by a drunken derelict, who breaks into the house, ignores her plight and helps himself to various items and alcohol. He leaves with his loot but returns a while later with a plump prostitute and three teenage hoodlums, who proceed to terrorize Mrs. Hilyard as they wreck her home.

---

Plot Keywords:

mansion | prostitute | elevator | drunkenness | violence | 

---

Taglines:

Do not see "Lady in a Cage" alone!

---

Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 July 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Une femme dans une cage

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

AEC, Luther Davis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min 92 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to a July 10, 1962 letter Joan Crawford was set to play the lead in this film. Crawford says: "I've finished Borderlines now, and am deep in rehearsals with Bette Davis on What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. We will start shooting the picture on the 23rd, for four weeks. Then I hope to fly to New York with the twins to put them in school, and will return to Los Angeles to make 'Lady in a Cage'."

---

Goofs

The battery for the alarm is shown as it runs down; but later in the movie the battery works like new.

---

Quotes

Mrs. Hilyard: [slowly realizing] Oh, dear Lord... I am... a monster!

---

Connections

Referenced in What's My Line?: Episode dated 17 January 1965 (1965)

User Reviews

A terrific, edge-of-your seat thriller with excellent performances.

Released back in the mid-'60's, this sadly overlooked thriller was way ahead of its time and foreshadows the senseless violence that exists in our society today. Olivia de Havilland gives a stunning performance as a partially crippled woman who becomes trapped in her private elevator during a power failure. Meanwhile, three vicious thugs(led by James Caan in his film debut) ransack her house and contemplate murdering a hustler(Ann Sothern) and a wino(Jeff Corey) who are unwittingly along for the ride. It's a gripping, chillingly realistic tale, with first-rate performances by the superb cast. Not only did James Caan make his debut with this film, but LADY IN A CAGE also marked the return of the great Ann Sothern who had been absent from the big screen for ten years to star in the popular TV shows "Private Secretary" and "The Ann Sothern Show".