Girls of the Big House

It's not about a real hard and dark film noir you have to deal with. Not WOMEN'S PRISON, CAGED, BETRAYED WOMEN or even STORY OF MOLLY X. No. Just a little drama which takes place more in a sort of boarding school than in a jail. Inmates have pretty comfortable bedrooms and there is not vicious and sadistic warden in petticoat in the Ida Lupino style - WOMEN'S PRISON - in it.

It never falls into comedy, but it remains a little mystery film telling the story of a young woman sent behind bars because she is accused to have stolen a wallet. But is she really guilty?

There are some another things in this picture, but nothing unusual.

It's one of the hundred of movies that George Archaimbaud made.

Lynne Roberts is accused of stealing Dick Elliott's wallet. She denies it, then suddenly admits it. So it's off to women's prison for her. She doesn't do well, escaping to visit her parents -- her mother bakes cookies for her -- getting recaptured, getting into a fight with Virginia Christine when Steve Barclay comes to visit her instead of Miss Christine, and so forth. But lawyer Tom Keene, having just discovered she's in prison, tries to get her out.

It's one of those movies that depend more on acting ability than a script that makes sense, and there are some good players here, including Marion Martin, Tala Birell, and others. But there are enough disconcerting moments, like being able to wander off at the train station while she's being taken to prison, that I wasn't able to fully engage with this movie. Watch out for Barbara Bedford in her last movie role.