IMDb RATING
6.3/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a naïve farm girl moves to Chicago, where she becomes trapped in a vicious cycle of prostitution and crime abetted by John Dillinger.After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a naïve farm girl moves to Chicago, where she becomes trapped in a vicious cycle of prostitution and crime abetted by John Dillinger.After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, a naïve farm girl moves to Chicago, where she becomes trapped in a vicious cycle of prostitution and crime abetted by John Dillinger.
Nancy Parsons
- Tiny Alice
- (as Nancy Anne Parsons)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
I first saw this film on TV and with the commercial breaks, it suffered. However, I later saw it without the commercials and it's so much better. It's the story of Gangster John Dillenger and his last girlfriend. Pamela Sue Martin as the moll and Robert Conrad as Dillenger both deliver great performances. I don't know much about John Dillenger, but I wonder if he was as "gentlemanly" as Conrads' portrayal was. Just a thought! However, it is a strong story, with enough violence to be realistic (those were violent times). There's also the romantic element that gives a softness to Dillenger. As I said, I wonder if he was a romantic at all. Anyway, a decent enough flick and well-acted.
Often the crime scene was overpowered by the men, The Woman In Red points out an opposite vision of preestablished status quo, where a young woman after passing by many plights insert herself in world of crime on late twenties, a stunning performance of the gorgeous Pamela Sue Martin arouse attention nothing less than Tarantino that had great regards of the little masterpiece.
Deeply overshadowed by majors releases at its time, it somehow thru the time arouse awareness of many defenders, watching this picture for first time I'd realize the filthy environment of house of pleasures, the harassment on the industry and on the jail as well a corruptive world where just the strong can survive.
Thanks for reading.
Resume: First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.
Deeply overshadowed by majors releases at its time, it somehow thru the time arouse awareness of many defenders, watching this picture for first time I'd realize the filthy environment of house of pleasures, the harassment on the industry and on the jail as well a corruptive world where just the strong can survive.
Thanks for reading.
Resume: First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.
Clearly a product of the Corman School, Sayles's first major screenplay shows that he already knew how to tell a great story from an interesting angle, something he has never forgotten how to do.
Director Teague keeps the pace rattling along, and hammers the message home fast (he was an occasional assistant to Sam Fuller, of course).
The plot's quite straightforward, and all the better so - this packs something of the punch of the 30's classic gangster films, but with distinctly 70's sensibilities to violence.
Where the film becomes more interesting than your average low-budget 'gangster-exploiter', however, is in the telling of the story through her eyes, rather than his (a distinctly 70's approach). Yet it's wonderfully ambiguous, on reflection, as to whether the film champions her willingness to break away and start acting for herself (she's a great strong character), or whether she just goes from one woman in peril situation to the other (which is the plot, basically).
I've probably over-analyzed it already, but if you've got a spare hour and a half on your hands, give it a chance. A classic of its kind.
Director Teague keeps the pace rattling along, and hammers the message home fast (he was an occasional assistant to Sam Fuller, of course).
The plot's quite straightforward, and all the better so - this packs something of the punch of the 30's classic gangster films, but with distinctly 70's sensibilities to violence.
Where the film becomes more interesting than your average low-budget 'gangster-exploiter', however, is in the telling of the story through her eyes, rather than his (a distinctly 70's approach). Yet it's wonderfully ambiguous, on reflection, as to whether the film champions her willingness to break away and start acting for herself (she's a great strong character), or whether she just goes from one woman in peril situation to the other (which is the plot, basically).
I've probably over-analyzed it already, but if you've got a spare hour and a half on your hands, give it a chance. A classic of its kind.
If they had called it "The life of a Gun Moll", nobody probably would have gone to see it. So they went with the Dillinger angle, but forget it this is Pamela Sue's film.
If you ever wondered how "good little" girls end up being window dressing for some of the most notorious gangsters that ever lived, this film gives a good look at her rebellion against her strict religious up bringing and her descent into crime and prostitution.
Pamela Sue is so cute, you have a hard time believing she is a hardened criminal, but she just about pulls it off.
If you ever wondered how "good little" girls end up being window dressing for some of the most notorious gangsters that ever lived, this film gives a good look at her rebellion against her strict religious up bringing and her descent into crime and prostitution.
Pamela Sue is so cute, you have a hard time believing she is a hardened criminal, but she just about pulls it off.
Fans of 1930's "pre-code" gangster flicks will probably love "The Lady In Red," a beautiful and realistic love letter to films such as "Scarface" (1932) and "Public Enemy." Pamela Sue Martin is ultra lovable as Polly, the rebellious farm girl who just seems to attract trouble like a magnet. At the wrong place at the wrong time, Polly is used as a human shield by the Dillinger gang as they speed away from a bank robbery. They ditch her after she serves her purpose, but a chain of events leads Polly down a very winding road that includes sweat shops, prostitution, a prison stint, and culminating with Polly and her friends picking up the machine guns, John Dillinger style, after the authorities do her wrong. Episodic in structure, which is not a problem, as every 'episode' in Polly's journey is more fascinating and just plain wild than the previous chapter. Now people refer to this as a low budget "B" movie, but the production values are very sleek, with stunning attention to period detail; the cars, the clothes, the hairstyles, the sets and the music, are all completely realistic in a way that is seldom seen in even higher budget films. The cinematography is stunning and this movie is gorgeous. The scenes in the brothel are reminiscent of the Storybook era sets of Louis Malle's "Pretty Baby," while the prison episode is more powerful and realistic than the roughest "women in prison" movie...and YES; that is Beula Ballbreaker from "Porky's," as the evil prison matron, turning in a perfectly savage, evil performance as a hate-filled racist lesbian guard. "Lady In Red" is the perfect balance of exploitation and Hollywood productions like "Bonnie & Clyde," but this is actually more fun than "Bonnie & Clyde." It deserves more recognition.
Did you know
- TriviaLewis Teague was paid eleven thousand dollars to direct this film. However, since this movie was made non-union, he had to pay his entire salary as a fine to the Director's Guild.
- GoofsThe reporter, Jake Lingle, who is killed at the end of the film by Robert Forster's character, Turk, was a real person. Lingle was gunned down in 1930, four years before the setting of this film. Lingle was killed by an underpass as shown in the film, however, it was at rush hour with crowds of people around.
- Quotes
Satin (a prostitute): The day I can't handle the likes of him, I best get me a needle and thread and sew it shut.
- Alternate versionsThe 1986 UK VHS released by Eagle Crest Video is only 83 minutes long (86/87 minutes when converted back to NTSC) and uses a print that is missing all shots (and sometimes whole scenes) of sex and nudity, as well as some of the violence (e.g. Dillinger's bloody corpse). Note that these are not BBFC edits - they had already approved the film uncut for cinema release.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Super nanas II (1987)
- How long is The Lady in Red?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- La dama de rojo
- Filming locations
- 500 South Mateo Street, Los Angeles, California, USA(As Chicago: Polly is approached by men from the industrial squad.)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $400,000 (estimated)
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content