Caged

Released May 19, 1950

1h 36m

Drama

LGBTQ+

List

50%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Pregnant nineteen-year old Marie Allen (Eleanor Parker) is sentenced to prison as an accessory to robbery. The warden, Ruth Benton (Agnes Moorehead), dedicated to reforming even the most hardened of the prisoners, deals fairly with Marie, even upon learning of her condition. The naïve Marie comes up against tough block matron Evelyn Harper (Hope Emerson) and must decide whether accepting the friendship of the toughest prisoners will rub off on her and affect the future of her unborn child.

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Drew Gregory

Autostraddle

There’s an intimacy throughout that suggests a life without men might not be so bad if it was allowed to happen on their own terms.

Feb 7, 2024

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

A grim, unrelieved study of cause and effect, it adds up to very drab entertainment, unleavened with any measure of escapism.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Thomas M. Pryor

New York Times

There is much in Caged that rings true, but unfortunately there is too much that appears to be contrived.

Jan 28, 2006

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Long before the “women’s prison film” got overrun by sadistic wardens, leering male guards, and lesbian trysts among the inmates -- thus becoming the exclusive property of drive-ins and grindhouses -- Warner Bros. offered this hard-hitting drama.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 5, 2023

Full Review

André Bazin

Cahiers du Cinéma

All of these qualities give the film a unity of tone and style that we don't run into so frequently.

Oct 13, 2022

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Deemed harsh in 1950, Cromwell's melodrama about women in prison has lost its edge but the acting of Agnes Moorehead and Hope Emerson, as a monstrously facist matron, is good; the film still offers valuable lesson about how life in prison makes criminals

Rated: B-

Apr 20, 2007

Full Review

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Audience Member

I first learned that this film because of Youtube channel Tired old queen at the movies. He recomended it. I Also like Agnes Morehead and Eleanor Parker. Usually films that is set in prisons so it is interesting to Watch a film with women in it. What is good is to see Marie (played by Eleanor Parker) change from naive and innocent first time prisoner to tough at the time of her release.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A believable, if cynical, view of the harm that prison can do. A cautionary tale, even now (2021), with prisons still being more about lock-up than rehabilitation. Excellent cast and film production makes it watchable as well as memorable.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

deke p

Women prison movie... What's not to like. Very tense, real, interesting, sad. Loved star ELEANOR PARKER (very fetching).

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Director John Cromwell has everything he needs to fashion a memorable film: a script that feel authentic about prison life for women; a great ensemble cast; a heavy some have considered the one of the best villains in movies; and a lead performance by Eleanor Parker that will leave you moved by her character's plight.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I really dont understand why he in prison and is movie really bad

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

steve d

Really cheesy but well acted.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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John Cromwell

Director

Eleanor Parker

Marie Allen

Agnes Moorehead

Ruth Benton

Hope Emerson

Evelyn Harper

Ellen Corby

Emma Barber

Betty Garde

Kitty Stark

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Synopsis

Pregnant nineteen-year old Marie Allen (Eleanor Parker) is sentenced to prison as an accessory to robbery. The warden, Ruth Benton (Agnes Moorehead), dedicated to reforming even the most hardened of the prisoners, deals fairly with Marie, even upon learning of her condition. The naïve Marie comes up against tough block matron Evelyn Harper (Hope Emerson) and must decide whether accepting the friendship of the toughest prisoners will rub off on her and affect the future of her unborn child.

Director: John Cromwell
Producer: Jerry Wald
Screenwriter: Virginia Kellogg, Virginia Kellogg, Bernard C. Schoenfeld
Distributor: Fang Video, Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Bros.
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 19, 1950, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Mono

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