I reluctantly gave this film a six star rating, although it deserves a four. It sticks in my mind as one of the funniest women's prison films I've ever seen, and that's saying something!
This is like the 'grandmammy' of all women's prison pictures, being released way back in 1955. The cast contains so much promise and talent. I usually love Ms. Lupino in just about everything she did. There's a real 'b' girl ensemble cast with the very talented Jan Sterling (so good in Wilder's 'Ace in the Hole'), the beautiful Cleo Moore (who is given very little to do in a minor role), and the always interesting Audrey Totter.
But I found it hard to sit through this flick without my tongue in my cheek. Let's face it: Ida Lupino's prison ward is Cruella De Ville, Lady MacBeth and Nurse Ratchet rolled into one psycho package. I do enjoy her banter between her and husband Howard Duff (one of the few sympathetic characters in the piece). But Duff simply 'duffs' along. A good looking guy, I've found him pretty blank-faced as an actor.
Another sup-plot involves inmate Phyllis Thaxter. (Another fine actress, I know she did work in films, but she did a lot of nice television work, too.) She is losing her mind being around all of these conniving females, and she's 'almost' innocent. She killed a young girl with her automobile, but she was not 'drunk' and it is described as an 'accident'.
It's interesting to note here that perhaps today's society would be much tougher on a woman based on this crime, accident or no.
The 'coed' prison is right out of the filthy perverse mind of Albert Zugsmith. I supposed institutions similar to this may have existed, and this gave the movie another silly sub-plot to have male inmate Warren Stevens sneak over and get his wife Audrey Totter pregnant.
I know this is supposed to be grim stuff, but I was chuckling by this time. Lupino goes crazy after her murder of the inmate Totter. I thought Ms. Lupino was rather good in a role that Bette Davis would have probably relished. It reminding me of Ida's performance years earlier, going crazy in the courtroom scene at the end of 'They Drive By Night'.
Having said all that, I must confess that I found this movie pretty ridiculous. Is it a bit strange? Sure. But Lupino, who was fine playing tough, sultry, beautiful babes in so many films strikes out with a real loser here. Unintentionally hilarious.
This is like the 'grandmammy' of all women's prison pictures, being released way back in 1955. The cast contains so much promise and talent. I usually love Ms. Lupino in just about everything she did. There's a real 'b' girl ensemble cast with the very talented Jan Sterling (so good in Wilder's 'Ace in the Hole'), the beautiful Cleo Moore (who is given very little to do in a minor role), and the always interesting Audrey Totter.
But I found it hard to sit through this flick without my tongue in my cheek. Let's face it: Ida Lupino's prison ward is Cruella De Ville, Lady MacBeth and Nurse Ratchet rolled into one psycho package. I do enjoy her banter between her and husband Howard Duff (one of the few sympathetic characters in the piece). But Duff simply 'duffs' along. A good looking guy, I've found him pretty blank-faced as an actor.
Another sup-plot involves inmate Phyllis Thaxter. (Another fine actress, I know she did work in films, but she did a lot of nice television work, too.) She is losing her mind being around all of these conniving females, and she's 'almost' innocent. She killed a young girl with her automobile, but she was not 'drunk' and it is described as an 'accident'.
It's interesting to note here that perhaps today's society would be much tougher on a woman based on this crime, accident or no.
The 'coed' prison is right out of the filthy perverse mind of Albert Zugsmith. I supposed institutions similar to this may have existed, and this gave the movie another silly sub-plot to have male inmate Warren Stevens sneak over and get his wife Audrey Totter pregnant.
I know this is supposed to be grim stuff, but I was chuckling by this time. Lupino goes crazy after her murder of the inmate Totter. I thought Ms. Lupino was rather good in a role that Bette Davis would have probably relished. It reminding me of Ida's performance years earlier, going crazy in the courtroom scene at the end of 'They Drive By Night'.
Having said all that, I must confess that I found this movie pretty ridiculous. Is it a bit strange? Sure. But Lupino, who was fine playing tough, sultry, beautiful babes in so many films strikes out with a real loser here. Unintentionally hilarious.