In 1929, there was a spate of prison riots that involved federal investigation. Inspired by these events, George Hill wrote a story titled “The Reign of Terror: A Story of Crime and Punishment”. Frances Marion, Hill’s wife at that time adapted this story into a screenplay and it resulted in the 1930 movie, ‘The Big House’. The movie was nominated for Best Picture and won Marion an Oscar for Best Writing Achievement, the first woman in a non-acting capacity to win an Oscar. It was also the first movie to receive the Best Sound Oscar.
