Lady in a Cage

Lady in a Cage

1964 Theatrical poster
Directed by Walter Grauman
Produced by Luther Davis
Written by Luther Davis
Starring Olivia de Havilland
James Caan
Music by Paul Glass
Cinematography Lee Garmes
Edited by Leon Barsha
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release dates
  • July 8, 1964 (1964-07-08) (United States)
Running time
 94 min
Country United States
Language English
Box office $1,650,000 (US/ Canada)[1]
Still image of de Havilland as Cornelia Hilyard

Lady in a Cage is a 1964 American psychological thriller film directed by Walter Grauman, written and produced by Luther Davis,[2] and released by Paramount Pictures. It stars Olivia de Havilland and features James Caan in his first substantial film role.

Plot

When an electrical power failure occurs, Mrs. Hilyard (Olivia de Havilland), a wealthy widow recuperating from a broken hip, becomes trapped between floors in the cage-like elevator she has installed in her mansion. With her son Malcolm (William Swan) away for a summer weekend, she relies on the elevator's emergency alarm to attract attention, but the only response comes from an alcoholic derelict, George (Jeff Corey), who enters the home, ignores her pleas and steals some small items.

The wino sells the stolen goods to a fence, then visits his prostitute friend, Sade (Ann Sothern), and tells her of the treasure trove he has stumbled upon. The expensive goods George fenced attract the attention of three young hoodlums, Randall (James Caan), Elaine (Jennifer Billingsley) and Essie (Rafael Campos). The trio follows George and Sade back to the Hilyard home, where they conduct an orgy of violence, killing George the wino and locking Sade in a closet.

Randall then pulls himself up to the elevator and taunts Mrs. Hilyard with a note left behind by her son Malcolm, in which he threatens suicide because of her domineering manner. Shocked by the revelation, Mrs. Hilyard struggles with Randall, escapes the elevator, and crawls out of the house. Randall follows and, as he is attempting to drag her back inside, Mrs. Hilyard gouges his eyes, but is dragged inside by his accomplices. As she crawls back outside, the blinded assailant stumbles into the street and is run over by a passing automobile, whereupon police arrive to arrest the surviving intruders and comfort the victim.

Cast

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Big Rental Pictures of 1964", Variety, 6 January 1965 p 39. Please note this figure is rentals accruing to distributors not total gross.
  2. ↑ "Lady in a Cage". IMDb. Retrieved 2008-08-22.

External links

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