Lady in a Cage (1964)

A woman trapped in a home elevator is terrorized by a group of vicious hoodlums.

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 curvy prostitute and three teenage hoodlums, who proceed to terrorize Mrs. Hilyard as they wreck her home.

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Plot Keywords:

elevator | grande dame guignol | bare chested male | woman in jeopardy | violence | 

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Taglines:

Do not see "Lady in a Cage" alone!

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was initially refused a cinema certificate in the UK by the BBFC; the ban was lifted in 1967, when the film got mostly unfavorable reviews. It was scarcely shown anywhere in the UK outside of London, and has never been revived in Britain, nor shown on British television.

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Goofs

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

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Quotes

Mrs. Hilyard: You're one of the many bits of offal produced by the welfare state. You're what so much of my tax dollars goes to the care and feeding of!

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Crazy Credits

The opening Paramount logo is done in vertical stripes to reflect the cage motif.

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Connections

Featured in What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael (2018)

User Reviews

Sharply observed details elevate this lurid shocker.

"Lady In A Cage" was far ahead of its time. Compared to the rest of the lurid shockers produced in the early 1960s featuring aging Hollywood stars (including de Havilland's other 1964 appearance in "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte") this film, along with "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" transcended the genre. But while "Baby Jane" had a lot to say about the price of fame, "Lady In A Cage" rightly predicted the impending chaos of a rapidly changing society.

Nothing about the basic premise (a middle-aged woman trapped in her house is terrorized by vagrants and thugs) suggests a deep sociological study. What elevates the ensuing events are the sharply observed details: the neighborhood in transition, the alienated masses isolated by endless traffic, the hoodlums' utter lack of conscience, and most of all, de Havilland's expert performance as the lone representative of the civilized world. Her undoing serves as a cautionary tale for a society on the brink. de Havilland makes this otherwise unsavory film exceedingly watchable. As her secrets are uncovered, she finds herself culpable as well. Everyone is caught in the inexorable downward spiral.

Despite the heavy themes, the film is highly accessible, even fun, if you take a jaundiced view. Not quite as campy as "Baby Jane" perhaps, but on some level, just as iconic. It's a film that stands up well to repeated viewings. Great graphic title sequence reminiscent of Saul Bass, compelling modern score by Paul Glass, sharp- focus black and white photography. Overall, fine work by everyone involved.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 June 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lady in a Cage

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

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