Up the River
About Up the River
In a prison that cares more about baseball than the rules, St. Louis and Dannemora Dan befriend Steve, who is in love with Judy, another prisoner. Steve is paroled and goes home to his mother in New England, promising to wait the five months until Judy is out. Judy's old boss, Frosby, follows him and threatens to tell the town about the prison term unless Steve joins a fraud. Steve goes along until Frosby cheats his mother. St. Louis and Dan break out, take the gun Steve meant to use on Frosby, and get the stolen bonds back. They return in time for the prison's baseball game against another penitentiary.
Cast & crew
More about Up the River
John Ford directed. Maurine Dallas Watkins wrote it. William Fox produced it. Joseph H. August photographed it. Frank E. Hull edited it. James F. Hanley and Joseph McCarthy wrote songs. Fox released it in New York on 10 October 1930. It runs 92 minutes. Spencer Tracy plays St. Louis. Warren Hymer plays Dannemora Dan. Humphrey Bogart plays Steve. Claire Luce plays Judy. It was the feature debut for Tracy and for Bogart, and the only film they made together. Fox remade it in 1938 with Preston Foster and Tony Martin.
Themes
Making
Ford shot Watkins's prison comedy with two actors who had not yet carried a feature. Tracy is St. Louis. Bogart is the parolee.
Look
Joseph H. August photographed the prison yard, the baseball game, and the New England house.
Music
James F. Hanley and Joseph McCarthy wrote the songs.
Preservation
A print survives. One copy runs 84 minutes 39 seconds.
Notes
- A circulating copy runs 84 minutes 39 seconds.
- The baseball game is the reason the two escapees go back.
- Steve's town is in New England. The threat is his prison record.
- The 1938 remake keeps the title and changes the leads.
Scenes
- Frosby tells Steve he will expose the prison record.
- St. Louis and Dan take the gun and recover the bonds.
- They walk back onto the field for the prison baseball game.
Influenced
- Up the River (1938)
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Up the River (1930).webm)
