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Caged

Play trailer Poster for Caged Released May 19, 1950 1h 36m Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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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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Caged

Critics Reviews

View All (8) Critics Reviews
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 Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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RICHARD S Check this out for Parker's very best acting. A shocker! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/21/25 Full Review Claudio C Caged (1950) The System is Impossible to Be Broken (11,583 – 02 Apr 2025 – by Claudio Carvalho) When Tommy Allen attempts to rob a gas station, he is shot and his nineteen-year-old wife Marie Allen (Eleanor Parker) tries to help him, but he is already dead. She is accused of accomplice and is sent to women prison. During the physical examination, Marie Allen learns that she is two months pregnant. The friendly prison warden Ruth Benton (Agnes Moorehead) summons the naive Marie Allen to her office and promises light work in the laundry due to her pregnancy. Further, she promises a probation meeting in ten months if she keeps good behavior along the period. However, when the corrupt and sadistic matron jailer Evelyn Harper (Hope Emerson) learns that Marie Allen has only her mother and they are very poor, she is abusive with the teenager. She has difficulties adapting herself to life in prison but is well treated by the inmates. The leader Kitty Stark (Betty Garde) tries to recruit Marie to work with her gang of shoplifters, but Marie rejects the offer keeping her honesty. Marie delivers a baby that is sent to adoption by the authorities; she is frequently abused by Evelyn Harper; and witnesses cruelties in prison. When the powerful Elvira Powell (Lee Patrick), who is Kitty’s enemy, comes to the same prison, she invites Marie for a fake job position in her gang and freedom, but Marie refuses. Soon Marie has her parole request rejected by the board. What will she do now? “Caged” (1950) is an engaging drama of woman’s prison where the viewer follows Marie Allen’s life, who committed a mistake in life and now is incarcerated. The corrupt system, with politicians and friends, is disclosed, and despite the efforts of the prison warden Ruth Benton, proves that the system is impossible to be broken. On the other hand, Marie Allen is a naive first offender inmate that receives training in crime inside the prison, and leaves the place graduated and corrupted by the system. The worst is that this system has persisted until today, seventy-five years later, in many countries. My vote is eight. Title (Brazil): “À Margem da Vida” (“On the Sidelines of the Life”) My Blog: https://maniacosporfilme.wordpress.com/ Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/14/25 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
Caged

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Movie Info

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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