Log in / Sign up
 
    Share this page

    Caged

    Reviewed by
    pietroantoni@

    This mid 20th century female prison movie is so well written, so well acted and directed that it was a sensation back in 1950. I've seen this feature three times and never cease to marvel at how good it really is. What starts as a debauched robbery could have turned into just another ridiculous crime and prison movie! BUT NOT THIS ONE. Eleanor Parker as a pregnant Marie ( in her first of three Oscar nominations) turns in such a sensational performance as a relative newcomer that she found herself nominated for an Oscar with the likes of Bette Davis, Gloria Swanson, Anne Baxter and eventual winner Judy Holiday. She was always somewhat under-rated in Hollywood, or so it appears to me, yet she has a body of work that can truly stand the test of time. Her Oscar Nominated performance in the brilliant 1955 " Interrupted Melody " still remains one of the greatest bio-pics ever made... to this day! (2015)

    CAGED proved to be a marvel no one quite expected. A lot of the credit must go to director John Cromwell who directed Better Davis in 1934's OF HUMAN BONDAGE, another tremendously daring movie, especially during the Depression years. Like BONDAGE, CAGED is thankfully filmed in B & W to capture the necessary seedy, gritty side of life. Colour would have been its doom! The film ultimately works so well because we have a fully etched female character who goes from innocent to hard boiled woman as a matter of necessity in this ultra realistic tale. It's positively uncanny what the film gets away with from several stands, especially in the character of Head Nurse, shall we say, Hope Emerson, an extra sized actress who received a best supporting Oscar nomination as a ruthless lesbian trying to get her hooks into the young Marie. Caged explores this lesbian theme quite deeply, so deeply that it remains totally convincing even in 2015, 65 years after the movie was made. It boggles the mind how 1950's censors and audiences alike misunderstood this film and took it just as another prison drama. Is it really possible that folks were that naive about matters that were staring them straight in their collective face? How is it possible to miss what is actually happening on screen? It dumbfounds me because Caged didn't portray gay/lesbian themes as comic relief or as characters that could be easily dismissed as unusual or eccentric. In this film the lesbian theme is right out in the open, the antagonist clearly an ultra-clever woman who knows what she wants and how to get it! This is SUCH a MUST SEE film!

    9
    HelpfulNot helpful  Reply
    pietroantoni@  20.6.2015 age: 36-49 14,540 reviews

    Show all reviews for this movie
    Note: The movie review posted on this page reflects a personal opinion of one user. We are not responsible for its content.

    Did you see ''Caged''?

    There is a problem with your e-mail address and we are unable to communicate with you. Please go to My Account to update your email.

    How do you rate this movie?

    Select stars from 1 to 10.
    10 - A masterpiece, go, see it now
    9 - Excellent movie, a must see
    8 - Great movie, don't miss it
    7 - Good movie, worth seeing
    6 - Not bad, could be much better
    5 - So so, okay if you don't pay
    4 - Not good, even if you don't pay
    3 - Poor movie, not recommended
    2 - Very bad, forget about it
    1 - Worst ever, avoid at all costs

    Please explain. Write your comment here:

    Please choose a username to sign your comments. Only letters, digits, dash - or period. Minimum 4 characters.

    Your age and sex:

    We publish all comments, except abusive, at our discretion.