Girls in Prison

I bought a VHS copy of this odd little women-in-prison film on eBay because it featured the sublime Phyllis Coates (the first "Lois Lane" on television and, arguably, the best ever) in a supporting role as 'Dorothy', a disturbed inmate. A small but memorable role for Phyllis here: oddly enough her character assumes every new female inmate is a woman named 'Lois' who broke up her family and led her to murder someone.

Lots of great-looking women inmates throughout the film. Prison life is pretty rough, with lots of meaningless busywork for the inmates.

The opening scene is pretty avant garde; the director deserves credit for his experimental approach to introducing the characters.

Anne Carson is in prison as accomplice to a bank robbery. Everyone but muscular priest Rcihard Denning thinks she knows where the loot in buried, and is willing to offer her favors for a cut. Denning believes her claims of innocence.

It's an ambitious little film with a good story and not much in the way of direction; an accomplished cast makes it work, including old-timers like Mae Marsh, Jane Darwell, and Raymond Hatton, and the frisson of lesbianism that had rapidly become standard for this sort of movie helps too. However, the direction by Edward L. Cahn is never more than adequate.

I don't get it. Many of these grade D- movies are often well written. The acting is sometimes very good and they move - no boredom. This one is good and has a couple surprises along the way. The earthquake is a ball. Gotta admire writers who were hired for schlock and gave it something. Compare something like this to 1956's Oscar winner "Around the World in Eighty Days." Do you really think that was as entertaining as "Girls in Prison."

Ann Carson is convicted and sentenced to prison for robbing a bank. The money was never recovered and the alleged third party went free. The bad news for Ann is that everyone thinks she has the money...the matron, her fellow inmates, and the third party who escaped! The only person who even questions her innocence is the prison reverend played by handsome Richard Denning.

A lot of stony faces and rough women in this gritty film that primarily takes place inside a women's prison.

This is by no means my favorite women's prison film... that might go to Ida Lupino or Barbara Stanwyk's previous offerings, but it was just different enough for me to recommend a watch. The film is a little slow but does have a good climax at the end.

Who played the blonde dance partner of Paul Anderson (Lance Fuller) in the opening nightclub scene?