Women's Prison

Doc Crane and superintendent Van Zandt (famously turbulent married couple Howard Duff and Ida Lupino) tangle over a new inmate (Jan Sterling as Helene Jensen), who gets scolded by Saunders (Mae Clarke) and supported by Brenda (Jan Sterling), on her first night inside, in Women’s Prison, 1955.

Terrific momentum, Lewis Seiler directs the quasi-documentary open, with a pointed grievance in the narration, from the original screenplay by Jack DeWitt and Crane Wilbur, as deputy Green (Lorna Thayer) delivers nervous Helene (Phyllis Thaxter) and brassy recidivist Brenda (Jan Sterling), Frank Sully the turnkey, Mae Clarke as matron Saunders, in Women’s Prison, 1955.

Traumatized Helene (Phyllis Thaxter) finally joins the population after two initial weeks in quarantine, meeting friend Brenda (Jan Sterling), her pal Mae (Cleo Moore), Adelle August as Grace and Vivian Marshall as sparky Dottie, in Women’s Prison, 1955, starring Ida Lupino.