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.

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.

Edward L. Cahn was a master of some campy films in the 50s and early 60s, and this is one of them.

It's all about a large stash of stolen bank loot squared away somewhere, and the good gal versus the bad to get it all. But first, there's a classic prison escape, due to mother nature --EARTHQUAKE! Rare for 50s films, but a real treat with lots of shakin' and screamin' and cardboard sets rockin'.

Adele Jergens, popular blonde in lots of B films, plays the toughest cookie, and she's fantastic in this type of role. Many other familiar actresses on board, including veteran Jane Darwell and tv's first Lois Lane, Phyllis Coates. Richard Denning plays the good guy slash minister, following the trail which leads to the broken down house of an old man, related to one of the gals. The old bird is tough enough in his own way, and is the cash hidden with him?

There's lots of scrambling and gunplay, and somehow it all jives in classic black and white. Watch Adele Jergens right to the bitter end.

Cahn did an excellent job directing. His next classic would be THE SHE CREATURE.

The finale is memorable, in that sort of campy 50s style we all love. A special thank you to MOVIES Net for rerunning this classic on its late show lineup lately.

Always on dvd for collectors. A Must.

For those of you that enjoy mindless but fascinating "theme" movies of the '50s, then this one is for you. Adele Jergens steals the film as the prison bully that befriends Ann. The best scene is at the end of the film where Richard Denning, a minister that was a star boxing champ at college mind you, dukes it out with the bad guy. There's an earthquake (makes no sense) and a windstorm. For highlights on the making of the film, check out American International's producer/founder Sam Arkoff's book, "Flying Through Hollywood by the Seat of My Pants," and he'll explain the reasons for the natural disasters. Overall the film is interesting, since it makes you wonder how the prison women manage not a hair out of place or smeared makeup after the fights. Cute stuff.

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."