The Big House

About the production

the release was one of MGM's 'Multiple-Language Versions' (MLVs), produced during the early sound era before dubbing and subtitling became standard. It was filmed on the same sets as the English version, often at night after the American cast had finished for the day. While Ward Wing is the primary credited director, Spanish screenwriter Edgar Neville is frequently cited as a co-director or dialogue director, ensuring the linguistic and cultural nuances were appropriate for Spanish-speaking audiences. The production utilized the same massive prison sets and expensive riot footage (including the use of real army tanks) as the English-language original to maximize production value.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Released in 1930, The Big House belongs to the early sound era and reflects production norms of its release season.

Why this film matters

The Big House contributes to understanding regional output and audience tastes around 1930.

Making of

The making of 'El Presidio' was a logistical marathon. Because the sets were shared with the English-language production directed by George Hill, the Spanish cast and crew typically worked the 'graveyard shift,' starting their day at midnight and filming until dawn. This led to a unique atmosphere on set, where the Spanish-speaking actors often socialized and collaborated in ways the daytime crew did not. Director Ward Wing had to follow the 'blueprint' of the English version almost shot-for-shot to ensure the expensive action sequences and crowd shots from the original could be seamlessly edited into the foreign versions. This required precise matching of lighting and actor positioning.

What critics said

Review records for The Big House are typical of 1930: brief for shorts, more sustained for features.

Did you know?

• The film is a 'Multiple-Language Version' (MLV), a common practice in the early 1930s where films were reshot entirely with different casts for foreign markets.
• Juan de Landa, who played Butch, was noted by critics for a performance that was more 'psychopathic' and 'childlike' compared to Wallace Beery's more famous portrayal.
• Tito Davison, who played the role of Kent Marlowe, was praised by some historians as being more realistic and subdued than Robert Montgomery in the English version.
• The Spanish version features a different ending for the character of Morgan's arm injury; in the French version, his arm is in a right-side sling, while in the Spanish and English versions, it is on the left.
• Edgar Neville, the co-director/writer, was a key figure in Spanish cinema who was brought to Hollywood specifically to help bridge the gap for Spanish-language productions.
• The film used real army tanks for the climax, a shocking sight for 1930s audiences that was shared across the English, Spanish, and French versions.
• Despite being a Spanish-language film, it was produced entirely in Culver City, California, as part of MGM's 'Hollywood Goes Latin' initiative.
• The film's title in Spanish-speaking territories was often 'El Presidio'.

Visual style

The film utilizes the innovative 'German-style' cinematography of the era, characterized by high-contrast lighting and moving camera shots. It famously uses low-angle shots to make the prison walls feel more oppressive and 'dolly shots' to move through the crowded mess hall. Because it used the same setups as the English version, it benefited from the work of Harold Wenstrom, who was praised for his gritty, realistic depiction of the penitentiary's interior.

Music

As an early 'talkie,' the film relies heavily on diegetic sound rather than a traditional musical score. The 'soundtrack' is defined by the rhythmic, mechanical noises of prison life—the clanging of cell doors, the shuffling of feet in unison, and the roar of the riot. This use of sound was considered revolutionary at the time and won the English version an Academy Award, a technical achievement that carries over into the Spanish production.

Famous quotes

¡Aquí no hay amigos, solo prisioneros! (Context: Butch explaining the harsh reality of the cell block to Marlowe.)

Me tendieron una trampa y me quitaron mi libertad. (Context: Morgan expressing his bitterness over his lost parole.)

Memorable scenes

• The Intake Scene: A stark, medium shot of Kent Marlowe being measured and stripped of his identity, emphasizing the dehumanization of the prison system.
• The Mess Hall Riot: A masterfully edited sequence where the rhythmic banging of spoons on tables escalates into a full-scale violent uprising.
• The Tank Assault: The climactic moment where an army tank crashes through the prison walls, a sequence that remains defining images of early sound cinema.

What audiences thought

The film was a significant hit in Latin America and Spain, where audiences were eager to see major Hollywood spectacles in their native tongue. In cities like Mexico City and Lima, it was often screened alongside or shortly after the English version, sometimes outperforming the original due to the local star power of the Spanish-speaking cast.

Film connections

Influenced by

• The Big House (1930, English version)
• The growing social realism movement in 1920s literature
• German Expressionist lighting techniques

This film influenced

• Pardon Us (1931)
• All prison dramas following the 1930s
• The development of the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema

Film restoration

The film is preserved and was notably restored by the Warner Archive. It was released as part of a 'Triple Feature' DVD set alongside the English and French versions, though the Spanish print shows more signs of age and wear than the English original.

Where to watch

• Warner Archive Collection (DVD)
• Select classic film streaming services (TCM/Criterion Channel occasionally)
• Film archives such as the UCLA Film & Television Archive