Exclusive“Castle on the Hudson” (1940): First Prison Film

Some people think that all movies from the Golden Era of Hollywood were very tame and even juvenile because of the moral restrictions imposed by the Motion Picture Production Code. However, a deeper look into classic movies from this period reveals that they were incredibly diverse, deep, and dramatic. In fact, Code films are often more powerful than different takes on the same story made during other time periods. A great example of this is “Castle on the Hudson” from 1940, an intense Warner Bros. film about a man who goes to Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Based on the memoirs of a longtime warden at the prison, this dramatic film was almost a shot-for-shot remake of the Pre-Code hit “20,000 Years in Sing Sing” (1932). However, the 1940 movie, which stars John Garfield, Pat O’Brien, and Burgess Meredith, managed to heighten the emotion and power of the story with very subtle changes. Although largely forgotten today, this movie is an emotional and stirring masterpiece which will appeal to anyone who appreciates good cinema.
#movies #talkshow #classicalmusic #Americantraditions #Hollywood #theater #cinema #entertainment #celebrity #famous #actors #drama #arts #performer #traditional