A prison with no walls, no guards, no escape attempts—what could possibly go wrong?
This fact-based prison drama tells the tale of a band of prisoners living in the innovative 2,600-acre prison at Chino, California. The place takes a humanistic approach to reform and there are no armed guards, no lockups and no uniforms. The underlying philosophy is that if these things are not there, the prisoners will not want to escape, and will instead accept their punishment. A new inmate arrives and soon accustoms himself to the new idea. The story includes the Oscar nominated song Unchained Melody.
Score
That song—yes, THAT Unchained Melody originated here.
Writing
Radically humane prison philosophy for 1955.
Director
Hall Bartlett
Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch
Steve Davitt
Barbara Hale
Mary Davitt
Chester Morris
Kenyon Scudder
Todd Duncan
Bill Howard
Johnny Johnston
Eddie Garrity
Peggy Knudsen
Elaine
Jerry Paris
Joe Ravens
John Qualen
Leonard Haskins
Tim Considine
Win Davitt
Stafford Repp
Mr. Miller
Bill Kennedy
Sanders
Kathryn Grant
Sally Haskins
Robert Patten
Swanson (uncredited)
Mack Williams
Mr. Johnson (uncredited)
Sol Gorss
Police captain (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The real Chino prison still operates today, though significantly more secure than its 1940s experimental origins.
Todd Duncan, who plays Bill Howard, was the original Porgy in 'Porgy and Bess'—rare dignified roles for Black actors in 1950s Hollywood.
US
