Redemoinho da Vida

I watched this film as I have set my self the goal of seeing every Glenn Ford movie before nukes, climate change or Coronavirus takes me, regardless of how superficial his role in them.

The film's plot is an exact cross between two James Cagney movies. Each Dawn I Die (wrongly convicted inmate becomes embittered and troublesome) and The Mayor of Hell (new prison governor appalled at the harsh treatment takes over and allows the prisoners to govern themselves).

Not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination set in a Woman's prison and one that would have faired better had it been made in the pre code years as these movies need to be a bit seedier and risqué rather than sanitised as it is a very grim thing we're dealing with.

The usually solid and reliable Ford is wasted here, but Rochelle Hudson does a good turn as the innocent woman sent to stir. June Lang is great as the evil and conniving 'Duchess' but the stand out for me is Lola Lane as the streetwise but good hearted con with some great comic one liners.

An OK way to waste 65 minutes, but this Is a story that should have been made way back in 1932 with Barbara Stanwyck in the lead when she was at her most sassy.

Great to see a young Glenn Ford at the start of his career, but don't expect The Big Heat.