Directed by Victor Halperin—best known for White Zombie (1932)—Buried Alive is a gritty, low-budget crime-horror hybrid produced by Producers Pictures Corp. and released in November 1939. With a runtime of just 62 minutes, the film dives into themes of injustice, psychological torment, and institutional corruption, all set within the claustrophobic confines of a prison.
Plot Summary
John Bradley, a wrongly convicted man, becomes a prison trustee and befriends the executioner, who’s spiraling into depression. After a barroom brawl instigated by a tabloid reporter, Bradley is blamed and loses his parole. Bitter and disillusioned, he’s soon accused of murdering a guard—plunging him deeper into a system that seems determined to crush him.
The film’s title alludes to both literal and metaphorical entrapment: the idea of being buried alive by injustice, guilt, and the machinery of punishment.
Cast Highlights
- Beverly Roberts as Joan
- Robert Wilcox as John Bradley
- Paul McVey, Ted Osborne, and David Durand in supporting roles
- This was the final film appearance of Beverly Roberts, who retired from acting shortly after
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- Filming began in October 1939, shortly after Halperin completed Torture Ship
- Actor Clem Wilenchick (aka Crane Whitley) was originally cast as Manning but replaced by Wheeler Oakman during production
- Dave O’Brien replaced Archie Twitchell in the role of Carson
- The earliest known TV broadcast was on WABD (Channel 5) in New York City on December 13, 1950
- Critics were harsh: Variety called it “inferior all the way,” and The New York Post declared it “so bad it seems almost like a new experience”
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