Up the River
You bet ~ IT'S FUNNY a movietone laugh riot.
1930 | 85m | English
Popularity: 3 (history)
| Director: | John Ford |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Maurine Dallas Watkins |
| Staring: |
| Daily life at men and women's prison units where baseball and the marching band are serious business. Two prisoners escape in order to help paroled Steve from being blackmailed by his girlfriend's ex-partner-in-crime. | |
| Release Date: | Oct 10, 1930 |
|---|---|
| Director: | John Ford |
| Writer: | Maurine Dallas Watkins |
| Genres: | Comedy, Crime |
| Keywords | prison escape, pre-code |
| Production Companies | Fox Film Corporation |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Aug 03, 2024 Entered: Apr 27, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Spencer Tracy | Saint Louis |
| Claire Luce | Judy Fields |
| Warren Hymer | Dannemora Dan |
| Humphrey Bogart | Steve Jordan |
| William Collier Sr. | Pop |
| Joan Marie Lawes | Jean |
| Marion Aye | Actress (uncredited) |
| Ward Bond | Inmate Socked by Saint Louis (uncredited) |
| Joe Brown | Deputy Warden (uncredited) |
| Bob Burns | Slim - Bazooka Player (uncredited) |
| Eddy Chandler | Guard (uncredited) |
| Edythe Chapman | Mrs. Jordan (uncredited) |
| Harvey Clark | Nash (uncredited) |
| Dick Curtis | New Inmate (uncredited) |
| Mike Donlin | Upstate Baseball Manager (uncredited) |
| Noel Francis | Sophie (uncredited) |
| Althea Henley | Cynthia Jordan (uncredited) |
| Elizabeth Keating | May (uncredited) |
| Richard Keene | Dick (uncredited) |
| Sharon Lynn | Edith La Verne (uncredited) |
| George MacFarlane | Whiteley (uncredited) |
| Wilbur Mack | Honest John Jessup (uncredited) |
| Louise Mackintosh | Mrs. Massey (uncredited) |
| Goodee Montgomery | Kit (uncredited) |
| Robert Emmett O'Connor | Prison Warden (uncredited) |
| Robert Parrish | Boy (uncredited) |
| Claude Payton | Guard (uncredited) |
| Steve Pendleton | Morris (uncredited) |
| Pat Somerset | Beauchamp (uncredited) |
| John Swor | Clem (uncredited) |
| Mildred Vincent | Annie (uncredited) |
| Johnnie Walker | Happy (uncredited) |
| Morgan Wallace | Frosby (uncredited) |
| Adele Windsor | Minnie (uncredited) |
| Carol Wines | Daisy Elmore (uncredited) |
| Helen Keating | June (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| William Collier Sr. | Choreographer |
| John Ford | Director |
| Edward O'Fearna | Assistant Director |
| Wingate Smith | Assistant Director |
| Sam Benson | Wardrobe Master |
| W.W. Lindsay Jr. | Sound Recordist |
| Maurine Dallas Watkins | Story |
| James F. Hanley | Music |
| Frank E. Hull | Editor |
| Duncan Cramer | Settings |
| Sophie Wachner | Costume Design |
| Joseph H. August | Director of Photography |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| William Fox | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 |
| 2024 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 2 |
| 2024 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Trending Position
This is really only of interest as a cinema curio - an early talkie with Warren Hymer ("Dan") and a slightly irritating "Saint Louis" (Spencer Tracy) escaping from prison to help out their pal "Steve" (Humphrey Bogart) from a little domestic mischief whilst he tries to keep his gal "Judy" (Claire Lu ... ce) - all under the direction of John Ford. None had made their mark on Hollywood by this stage, and the film's production and storyline are all just a bit too basic and over-stretched to hold the interest for a whopping great 90 minutes. It has moments of humour, and there is a brief appearance from Ward Bond too, but the film is pretty static and stage bound with too many monologues delivered in quite a wooden fashion. It's fair to say that everyone was still learning their craft here, and knowing what we know now makes it worth a watch - but be prepared to be a bit bored, I was.