Information
| Year: | 1950 |
| Rating: | 7.8(926) |
| Listed in: | Crime, Drama |
| Directed by: | John Cromwell |
| Actors: | Eleanor Parker Agnes Moorehead Ellen Corby Hope Emerson Betty Garde Jan Sterling |
| "The Story of a Women's Prison Today!" | |
Cast
| Directed by | |
|---|---|
| John Cromwell | |
| Actors | |
| George Baxter | as Jeffries |
| Guy Beach | as Mr. Cooper |
| Don Beddoe | as Commissioner Sam Walker |
| Taylor Holmes | as Senator Ted Donnolly |
| Bill Hunter | as Guard |
| Charles Meredith | as Parole Board Chairman |
| Zon Murray | as Prison Guard |
| Harlan Warde | as Dr. Ashton |
| Actresses | |
| Eleanor Parker | as Marie Allen |
| Agnes Moorehead | as Ruth Benton |
| Ellen Corby | as Emma Barber |
| Hope Emerson | as Evelyn Harper |
| Betty Garde | as Kitty Stark |
| Jan Sterling | as Jeta Kovsky aka Smoochie |
| Lee Patrick | as Elvira Powell |
| Olive Deering | as June Roberts - Inmate |
| Jane Darwell | as Isolation Matron |
| Gertrude Michael | as Georgia Harrison |
| Sheila MacRae | as Helen |
| Gail Bonney | as Inmate |
| Lovyss Bradley | as Inmate |
| Jean Calhoun | as Inmate |
| Claudia Cauldwell | as Inmate |
| Pauline Creasman | as Inmate |
| Marjorie Crossland | as Katie 'Cassie' Cassidy |
| Jane Crowley | as Matron |
| Evelyn Dockson | as Matron |
| Pauline Drake | as Doctor's Wife |
| Marlo Dwyer | as Julie O'Brien - Inmate |
| Helen Eby-Rock | as Inmate |
| Virginia Engels | as Inmate |
| Barbara Esback | as Matron |
| Edith Evanson | as Miss Barker |
| Grayce Hampton | as Woman |
| Grace Hayes | as Mugging Matron |
| Frances Henderson | as Woman |
| Gertrude Hoffman | as Millie Lewis |
| Esther Howard | as Grace |
| Hazel Keener | as Matron |
| Doris Kemper | as Inmate |
| Margaret Lambert | as Inmate |
| Gracille LaVinder | as Visiting Room matron |
| Marie Melish | as Inmate |
| Tina Menard | as Inmate |
| Joan Miller | as Claire Devlin - Inmate |
| Frances Morris | as Mrs. Foley |
| Helen Mowery | as Woman |
| Eva Nelson | as Inmate |
| Joyce Newhard | as Inmate |
| Rosemary O'Neil | as Inmate |
| Ezelle Poule | as Inmate |
| Gladys Roach | as Inmate |
| Yvonne Rob | as Elaine |
| Naomi Robison | as Hattie |
| Carole Shannon | as Inmate |
| Lynn Sherman | as Ann |
| Queenie Smith | as Mrs. Warren |
| Helen Spring | as Woman |
| Eileen Stevens | as Infirmary Nurse |
| Sheila Stuart | as Velma Washington - Inmate |
| Nita Talbot | as Inmate |
| Wanda Tynan | as Meta |
| Ann Tyrrell | as Edna |
| June Whipple | as Ada |
| Doris Whitney | as Woman Visitor |
| Marjorie Wood | as Matron |
| Peggy Wynne | as Lottie |
Movie info
| Languages: | English |
| Filming dates: | July 1949 - September 1949 |
| Plot: | Naive 19-year old Marie Allen is incarcerated for being an accessory to a minor robbery committed by her husband Tom, who was killed during the robbery. The prison, populated primarily by hardened career criminals, is run by warden Ruth Benton, who is trying to reform the penal system by running a humanistic prison. However she is at odds with sadistic matron Evelyn Harper, who is in charge of Marie's cell block. Evelyn runs her cell block the way she wants despite Benton's directives, and takes bribes from the charge with the most money to offer. Marie's time is rough, as she slowly learns that playing by the legitimate rules will get her nowhere, especially with Harper operating by her own sadistic rules. In addition, Marie is pregnant and has little to no support outside the prison walls to support her and her expanding family. Marie ultimately changes to a more hardened inmate after a series of events including her baby being taken away from her, the suicide of a fellow model inmate following a parole denial, and Marie's own parole denial for circumstances beyond her control. Marie changes for good after being placed in solitary confinement due to an altercation with Harper. Although Harper does eventually get her comeuppance, Marie decides, against the sage advice of lifer Millie Lewis, to take the most expedient way out by joining forces with the inmate with criminal connections on the outside. Despondent Benton knows that Marie will unfortunately be back behind bars. |
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Goofs
| Revealing mistakes: When Marie Allen announces that her kitten has died, the cat opens its mouth. |
Quotes
|
Elvira Powell: I didn't know what kind of a heel Harper is. She's like a cop I was sweet on once. He had to work guys over for no reason at all, just because it made him feel important. If I'd known I wouldn't have started on you. Kitty Stark: Quit shaking the tambourine. Inmate: I'll tell Evelyn. Kitty Stark: Don't kid me, Harper's first name is filth. Emma Barber: That trained seal can sure ask a lot of questions. Who is this Pearl Harbor anyway? What is she, an inmate? Marie Allen: Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. Woman Visitor: What's she in here for? (something is whispered to her) And they call us the weaker sex. Smoochie: I got news for you, she's alright. Smoochie: She's a real lady, Georgia, only she married some guy who likes spendin' other people's dough, so he got her to write a bunch of bouncers. I got news for ya. Georgia gives this place class. Kitty Stark: She ain't the only one. I had two real mink coats and a closetful of black lace nighties and a shelf full of real French perfumes that my girls lifted right out of one of the swankiest stores in town. Smoochie: Don't rub it in. All I had was a different pair of shoes for every night. Evelyn Harper: Line up, you tramps. This ain't no upstairs delicatessen. Marie Allen: I feel a little sick. Infirmary Nurse: Get that way often? Marie Allen: Yes, the last week or so. Infirmary Nurse: Say, you expecting company? Marie Allen: [mumbles] I don't know. Infirmary Nurse: [cynically] Another pregnant one! Get up!... You know who the father is? Marie Allen: My husband. Marie Allen: [sarcastically] Well, ain't we gettin' respectable! Could he help with the expenses? Marie Allen: He's dead! Infirmary Nurse: [with contempt] Another bill for the state! Get dressed! Evelyn Harper: Home sweet home! Just like the big cage in the zoo - only you clean it up instead of the keeper. Bucket and brush is in the corner closet. Marie Allen: Mrs. Benton said I was going to work in the laundry. Evelyn Harper: I'm the boss here! Start scrubbin'! Marie Allen: But Mrs. Benton told me... Marie Allen: [she sees another inmate signaling her not to talk back] Where do I begin, Mrs. Harper? Evelyn Harper: Now you're gettin' hip. Evelyn Harper: Let's you and me get acquainted honey. You may be a number to others but not to me. Sit down in this chair, it's kinda roomy. Kitty Stark: Don't let it throw you, honey. You're still a kid. If you get paroled soon enough, there'll be a lotta guys that'll tumble for ya. You can even get hitched and have another kid if you're dope enough to want to. The trick's to flop out as soon as you can. Like I said, the boys can get your parole movin' fast. How 'bout it? Don't it make sense, honey? Think it over, sweetioe, but get this through your head: if you stay in here too long, you don't think of guys at all - you just get out of the habit. Evelyn Harper: Come on you tramps - line up for Christmas. Marie Allen: Kindly omit the flowers. Millie: What I'd give for a sink full of dirty dishes. Millie: I'm a tall weed in the grass and the grapevines bloomin'. Miss Barker: Sign here. I'll skip the mental test, you look normal enough. Marie Allen: For that forty bucks I heisted I sure got myself an education. Helen: [referring to a newly paroled Marie Allen] What shall I do with her file? Ruth Benton: Keep it active. She'll be back. |
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