Riot in Cell Block 11
Don Siegel
United States of America,
1954,
80 min
Cast
Neville Brand, Emile Meyer, Frank Faylen
Spoken language
English
For this edition, Movie Matters takes a look behind the bars of gritty prison classic RIOT IN CELL BLOCK 11. Even though the movie was released in 1954, the questions that director Don Siegel (INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, DIRTY HARRY) poses about the prison system are still painfully relevant today.
What started as a rebellion against the inhuman conditions, overpopulation and corruption in a maximum security prison, quickly changes into a violent uprising. The movie does not offer a simple solution, but encourages the audience to think about rehabilitation as compared to retribution. Is a prison the place for remediation, or an oubliette for society?
