O Sistema

This film provides a scathing indictment of the American prison system. The story and characters are fictional. But the film was shot entirely in a real-life prison. And many of the extras are actual prisoners.

The lead character is a straight-arrow college professor named Jonathon Paige (Alan Alda). He's a new arrival, and he has no intention of playing the usual prison games. The antagonist is Slocum (Vic Morrow), a veteran prisoner who, along with his buddies, runs Cell Block C, where Paige is assigned. Slocum is a bully who uses a carrot and stick approach to get what he wants. And Cell Block C is his little fiefdom.

The plot is straightforward and easy to follow. There's a lot of dialogue, which is to be expected in a setting that is so closed and claustrophobic. Most of the conflict is verbal, but some is physical. A major plot point that figures in the story's climax is introduced a little late in the story. It needed to be introduced much earlier.

Cast and acting are acceptable. Cinematography is fairly standard. In the copy I watched, images were a tad grainy and blurry. The film has rather little background music. Most of the ambient sounds are natural to the setting.

Prison movies tend to be alike, with the same general setup and depressing tone. "The Glass House" fits within that description. On the other hand, the film's theme is a bit more pronounced. The message is that prisons function off-limits to standard institutional accountability. As a result, corruption flourishes. One is left with the impression that the American prison system is an institutional racket, and the prisoners are victims of the corrupt guards and administrators. In this view, prisons are as criminal as the inmates.

For its time and up until now, this remained one of the most shocking movies to be released and what makes it even more compelling is that what you are seeing is not only true, but even watered down a little. If you know nothing about prison, this is one of the few movies out there that really tells it like it is. What people do not realize when they go into prison that the existing powers at work do not operate independently but collaterally. It is one big game designed to get you or your money. Killing you doesn't profit anyone, but using you does and this movie portrays those stark realities. Most men who frequent prison believe they can take care of themselves and for the most part it is true. However, they also find out that they may be up against groups of people and when attacked makes it very hard to defend ones self. Thus the drama and suspense that builds up in this movie and then explodes in your face. How can you fight everyone? Fear will visit you if you even entertain for a moment...what would I do in those circumstances...Very chilling and sobering thought and a great movie to show certain kids as a deterrent. Recommend finger foods to fight off the urge to bite your nails. Easy on the caffeine and sugar as you will already be fidgeting pretty much...Oh and enjoy your self

The Glass House is as interesting and fascinating as it is gruesome and horrifying. After seeing all the accounts of corruption and violence, we have every reason to believe it when the opening credits say "The story and characters are ficticious (sic), but the situations are real." It's also kind of ironic and comical that whoever wrote that sentence needs a course in spelling. This movie, as I understand, was filmed entirely on location in Utah State Prison. Many, if not all, of the extras are real inmates, which adds to the authenticity of the film.

The movie begins a with handful of convicts, including a college professor named Jonathon Paige (Alan Alda); a naïve, young drug pusher, Alan Campbell (Kristoffer Tabori), and an idealistic corrections officer named Brian Courtland (Clu Gulager) all starting their first day in prison. The new fish are introduced to the brutal, vicious crime boss Hugo Slocum, played brilliantly by the classic villain character actor Vic Morrow. We know he means business right from the get-go ("...when I offer you somethin' for free, you take it!").

Paige is assigned to work in the prison pharmacy, where he refuses to supply one of Slocum's men, Ajax (Scott Hylands), with drugs. Big mistake. Now he's really put a bullseye on his back. "Too bad," says the other inmate in the pharmacy, whom we only know as Lennox (Billy Dee Williams), "you could've done easy time." Amen. We learn there is sometimes a fine line between morals and sensibility.

The story reveals more violence, corruption, and tragedy: there's a scalding, knifing, gang rape, and an accidental shooting. At first, Officer Courtland, being a man of principle, is excited and anxious to work in the prison system, because he wants to make a difference. The guards, however, seem to be content to look the other way, and the Warden seems oblivious, too. As Courtland sees the unraveling of violence among the inmates, along with corruption and indifference among the staff, he begins to question the integrity of the system. Just as Lennox bluntly states, "Cons, guards, can't tell the difference after a while." We see that this is shockingly true.

Courtland tries to warn the cold Warden (Dean Jagger) that a killing is inevitable, but the Warden shrugs it off by saying "Sometimes it's just better to let certain given situations adjust themselves" (translation: I don't care if the inmates kill each other). Meanwhile, another one of Slocum's gang, who knows he's going to be slain shortly, gives a handwritten notebook, with records of the guards Slocum bribed, to Paige. They both know that if the book can somehow get to the right people on the outside, the violence and corruption can be exposed. However, the situation is about to boil over, and Paige knows time is closing in on him.

The characters are all very well-written and well-played by the actors. Alan Alda is convincing as the sincere and confused professor who is trying to keep everyone off his back, do his time and get out. Vic Morrow is magnificent as the tough, brutal, ruthless gang boss who wants it his way or no way at all, and will kill anyone who challenges him. Clu Gulager is equally resounding as the heroic, wholesome prison guard who is a little wet behind the ears. Kristoffer Tabori gives a good performance as the little lost puppy with his tail between his legs. We know he's going be attacked sooner or later, and he plays fear and realization best with the horror in his eyes and his facial expressions. Billy Dee Williams's character, Lennox, the inmate who is morally correct, yet tough and smart enough to know the art of prison survival, was one of the most interesting in the film, but could've benefitted from more screen time. We really believe his sincerity when he says, "I want these men to realize their value as individuals and as human beings." I would've like to have known a little more about him, and what made him tick.

The Glass House raises a lot of interesting and provocative questions about society in general and the prison system specifically. "I'm not in love with this system, but it's all we've got, and it's better than having no system at all" says the Warden, stone-faced. Is it true? Or is the system whatever we make it to be? Is prison always the answer for convicted criminals? Are there some inmates who are just bad apples that can't be rehabilitated? Are the prison personnel with morals and principles always going to be vastly outnumbered by the indifferent and corrupt? Are inmates nothing more to the penal system than garbage to be dumped in the prisons? Should prison be the living hell for convicts that the movie makes it out to be? Does prison really reform criminals? Can any positive changes be made to the penal system? Does anybody really care?

Anybody visiting this for the first time now who can't take themselves back to 1972 (the time of the film's release) are going to be screaming formulaic. Luckily as a fan of the genre and holding a steadfast belief that a viewer should always get a mindset of a film's original release period, I wouldn't dream of calling this formulaic.

This is something of genre perfection because the makers realise that incarceration should be stifling, the viewer should feel a level of oppression to get on side with the nature of the film, and here they achieve that with a feeling of simmering menace bubbling under the surface, you know that things are going to go pear shaped and it's the waiting that drives you on in an uneasy state.

All the pieces are in place for classic prison drama, tough nasty bad guy exuding menace (a wonderful creeper turn from Vic Morrow), the screw who is the lone voice of authority who cares (take a bow Clu Gulager), the good guy main protagonist who we are rooting for (a fine heartfelt turn from Alan Alda), and a story that doesn't veer to nonsense (from the pen of one Truman Capote).

The violence is shocking, and of course rape and suicide is prominent, all the things to make the viewer stunned and saddened in equal measure are here, but most of all the film triumphs with its ending, there is no cop out here and the makers were brave enough to not slip into maudlin pay off that so many prison genre films tend to do.

For this new modern era of film making there is nothing new here, but for 1972 and a TV movie, this is well worth support and sampling by any potential first time viewers. 8/10

College professor is sentenced to a maximum security prison for manslaughter. Early made-for-television prison film is well worth seeing despite familiar story line and characters. Impressive direction, cinematic quality acting, good script and not a miscast anywhere. Viewers may also enjoy "Shawshank Redemption" (1995), "Escape From Alcatraz" (1979) and "Runaway Train" (1985). (Rating: A-minus)