3:00am PST/6:00am EST
**The Big House **(1930)
One of the all-time greatest prison movies. Robert Montgomery and Wallace Beery, in this very early talkie.
4:30am PST/7:30am EST
20,000 Years In Sing Sing (1932)
Classic teaming of Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis, directed by the great Michael Curtiz (Casablanca, Mildred Pierce).
6:00am PST/9:00am EST
**Hell’s Highway **(1932)
Haven’t seen. Has a reputation for being pretty racy, even for pre-code; acknowledges sexual and racial issues which the code would soon sweep under the cultural rug.
7:15am PST/10:15am EST
**I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang **(1932)
Gritty masterpiece, starring one of the greatest actors in the history of film, Paul Muni. Absolutely essential viewing.
9:00am PST/12:00pm EST
**San Quentin **(1937)
Haven’t seen, but with Humphrey Bogart and Pat O’Brien, I imagine it’s worth a viewing.
10:15am PST/1:15pm EST
**House of Numbers **(1957)
Hmm. Jack Palance plays good/evil twins. Could be interesting.
12:00pm PST/3:00pm EST
**Ladies They Talk About **(1933)
Pre-Code Barbara Stanwyck! A pre-code women in prison flick! Miss Barbara plays a female prisoner named Nan! C’mon, how could this be any better?
1:30pm PST/4:30pm EST
**Condemned Women **(1938)
Hm. Doesn’t seem to have a whole lot to recommend it. Still, a 1930’s women in prison flick has got to be good for something, right?
3:00pm PST/6:00pm EST
**Castle On The Hudson **(1940)
A remake of 20,000 Years in Sing Sing, starring the great John Garfield. Directed by the uneven (Tovarich, Sorry, Wrong Number, The Snake Pit), but amusingly bitter about Alfred Hitchcock’s success Anatole Litvak.