The Concrete Jungle

I remember watching this on HBO back in the mid-80's. I thought Tracey E Bregman (who apparently took a summer break from Young & Restless) was mostly believable as Elizabeth. I say 'mostly' because there were moments she is just too glamorous to be believable as the hard-luck prisoner. Barbara Luna is quite notable as QueenBee "Cat"; a role she was almost born to play. Jill St. John mostly skirted around her warden role, in which I gave a C+ rating, if that. The best performances, ironically, were the female prisoners, and Robert Miano (Stone).

I had been a young fan of U.K.'s 1970's series, 'Prisoner, Cell-Block-H'. While I don't compare this film to that series, some of the action bears reflection on surreal existence within actual prison life.

The Concrete Jungle is the gold standard in movies about women in prison. Since then, a dozen of "late night, Cinema like" prison films with naked women trying to survive behind bars. For 1982, the Concrete Jungle made headlines for being the first of its kind. Today, it is far from being taken seriously. I felt bad for Camille Keaton rape scene. Not only was she not a leading actress in this film, nor did her character have any real importance to the story, her role was a quick flashback to her only famous role as the rape victim in the "classic" horror movie I Spit on Your Grave. I think it's time to call your acting career quits once you keep getting only rape roles.

I stumbled upon the 1982 crime drama "The Concrete Jungle" in 2022, a mere 40 years after it was initially released. I had never heard about the movie, so I didn't have much of any expectations as I sat down to watch what writer Alan J. Adler had to offer with this movie.

And I will say that I was actually adequately entertained by "The Concrete Jungle". Sure, the storyline is somewhat generic for a movie such as this, but it still proved to be enjoyable enough. The storyline was nicely enough written and had some good moments to it, which drove the movie forward. Was it predictable? You betcha.

It should be said that for a movie with 40 years on its shoulders, then director Tom DeSimone actually managed to put together a movie that has withstood the passing of time quite nicely, because "The Concrete Jungle" is still a very watchable and enjoyable movie in 2022.

The cast ensemble in the movie was good. I can't claim that I was familiar with the ensemble here in the movie, but they definitely were nicely cast and put on good performances.

If you enjoy the women-in-prison genre of movies, then "The Concrete Jungle" is actually an enjoyable foray.

My rating of "The Concrete Jungle" lands on a six out of ten stars.

I liked the film Concrete Jungle it reminded me of the Australian TV series shown here in the UK Prisoner Cell Block H. Concrete Jungle had a good storyline, perhaps too much swearing in it, but in this day and age this is nothing to crow about. The swearing in the film would not stop me from watching it again and again The acting was very good from everyone in the film and I was routed to the spot watching the film, I just had to see how the film ended and if everyone got their just deserts. I am a great admirer of the actor Peter Brown and it was great to see him in the part of Mr Bad Guy for a change, although I still prefer him in westerns and Mr Nice Guy.

"The Concrete Jungle" doesn't offer anything you haven't seen before, but it's still an absorbing, fairly well-made & acted little Women-In-Prison drama. What the fans of this sub-genre need to know is that the filmmakers have taken a mostly serious-minded approach here, at least until the last 10 minutes when a massive fight that breaks out in the prison yard turns into a mudbath! Most of the time, though, the film simply chronicles, in a straightforward manner, the daily struggle for survival of a 100% innocent woman who tries to adapt to the harsh prison life. Tracey Bregman's sweet, innocent-looking face is perfect for the part, and she is surrounded by actresses who mostly manage, in a short amount of time, to build their own characters. The standout for me was June Barret as the bad girl Icy, who is both strong and insecure. (**)