Unchained

"What keeps them from crashing out?"

1955 1h 15m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 1

CrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

This fact-based prison drama tells the tale of a band of prisoners living in the innovative 2,600-acre prison at Chino, California. The place takes a humanistic approach to reform and there are no armed guards, no lockups and no uniforms. The underlying philosophy is that if these things are not there, the prisoners will not want to escape, and will instead accept their punishment. A new inmate arrives and soon accustoms himself to the new idea. The story includes the Oscar nominated song Unchained Melody.

“What keeps them from crashing out?”

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Cast

Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch
Steve Davitt
Barbara Hale
Mary Davitt
Chester Morris
Kenyon Scudder
Todd Duncan
Bill Howard
Johnny Johnston
Eddie Garrity
Peggy Knudsen
Elaine
Jerry Paris
Joe Ravens
John Qualen
Leonard Haskins

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Hall Bartlett
Writers: Hall Bartlett
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

71 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Hall Bartlett, shot by Virgil Miller. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alex North. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Cotton Warburton shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch and Barbara Hale and Chester Morris carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "What keeps them from crashing out?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0048762 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Hall Bartlett directs. Virgil Miller behind the camera. Alex North scores. Cotton Warburton cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
271 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Hall Bartlett, shot by Virgil Miller. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Alex North. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Cotton Warburton shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch and Barbara Hale and Chester Morris carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "What keeps them from crashing out?".
8IMDB entry: tt0048762 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.