Women Without Men

Thelma Hurd shines through in this women's prison comedy/drama from Hammer.The plot is very routine.There is a prison concert which takes up a considerable time.Fairly unmemorable.

Beverly Michaels was discovered by Hugo Haas who then dropped her to discover "Cleo Moore" who has a few bit parts in the movie Blonde Bait as one of the prisoners. The movie is not that great but it is one of those movies that other stars were first seen and not mentioned (Cleo Moore).

I've just managed to acquire a copy of the UK version of this film which I caught on television some years ago. I was very impressed with leading lady Beverly Michaels (not the cheap blonde one might have expected from her Hugo Haas exploitation movies) but a tall classy lady with a cultured voice who even gets to sing a number at the Prison concert! Thora Hird is a standout as 'Gran' an old lag who helps Beverly escape and Joan Rice is amusing as a bigamist juggling her two husbands at visiting time. Good support also from April Olrich as a prisoner with a baby and the striking Sheila Burrell as an inmate who goes 'stir crazy'.

The almost military routine of 50's prison life is well caught and it's a rare but effective directorial credit for former Oscar winning editor Elmo Williams. The American version Blonde Bait was completely re-edited with a new plot and added footage featuring Paul Cavanaugh, Jim Davis and Richard Travis. In this version Thora Hird's character is a stool pigeon who deliberately lets Michaels escape so she can lead police to her gangster boyfriend!