Main Cast: Barbara Hale, Chester Morris, Todd Duncan, Johnny Johnston
Release Year: 1955
Country: US
Run Time: 75 minutes
Plot
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. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Unchained is a 1955 prison film based on the non-fiction book Prisoners are People by Kenyon J. Scudder. The film is most remembered for its theme song, which became known as "Unchained Melody".
The film was based on the career of Kenyon J. Scudder, former supervisor at Chino, as detailed in Scudder's book. Most of the scenes were actually filmed on location at the prison. Former football player Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch played the lead character, while other inmates were played by Chester Morris and Jerry Paris (later of The Dick Van Dyke Show), among others. Others in the cast included Peggy Knudsen and Barbara Hale, who appeared as women visiting the prisoners.
Steve Davitt is in a medium security prison and is struggling with two options: finishing his sentence and seeing his wife and family or escaping the prison.
Oscar nomination
Best Music, Original Song: "Unchained Melody" - Music by Alex North; Lyrics by Hy Zaret
Trivia
Jazz musician Dexter Gordon has a small, uncredited role in the film, that of a saxophone player in the prison jazz band.
The film was shot at the correctional facility in Chino, California, where Gordon was then serving time for possession of heroin.
