So Young So Bad (1950)A psychiatrist and nurse overthrow the abusive heads of a girls' reform school in order to teach the "unfortunate" young women that they have a chance at healthy lives. Director:Bernard Vorhaus |
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So Young So Bad (1950)A psychiatrist and nurse overthrow the abusive heads of a girls' reform school in order to teach the "unfortunate" young women that they have a chance at healthy lives. Director:Bernard Vorhaus |
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| Cast overview: | |||
| Paul Henreid | ... |
Dr. John H. Jason
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| Catherine McLeod | ... |
Ruth Levering
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Grace Coppin | ... |
Mrs. Beuhler
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Cecil Clovelly | ... |
Mr. Riggs
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| Anne Francis | ... |
Loretta Wilson
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| Rita Moreno | ... |
Dolores Guererro
(as Rosita Moreno)
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| Anne Jackson | ... |
Jackie Boone
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Enid Pulver | ... |
Jane Fleming
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Idealistic and naive Dr. Jason arrives at a school for delinquent girls and immediately begins to try to make a difference in the lives of some of the inmates. Oblivious to the sadistic treatment of the girls by the matrons, it takes a rebellious girl named Loretta to open his eyes. Assisted by a female staff member, Jason finally gets proof of the abuse and threatens the head of the school with exposure unless he is given full reign to run things. Written by Ron Kerrigan <mvg@whidbey.com>
This seems to have come out right around the same time as the infinitely better "Caged." It isn't terrible by any means but it sometimes feels like a Doris Wishman opus. Paul Henreid seems to be the star and the girls -- well, they're attractive background.
As TO the girls: Wow, the casting director picked some fine young performers to play the prison trams. Anne Francis is the one on whom the primary subplot focuses. She's very good. Then there is "Rosita" Moreno, also good, getting her hair horn by a sadistic matron, a la "Caged." And, of all people, Anne Jackson! She is also good but what a place to find her and how different from her later roles.
Some scenes are powerful. The one, not to give too much away, involving the matron and the rabbit is sickening. And the one that follows that closely, involving the matron and a firehose is powerful too.
I apologize for the cheap shot in my summary. The movie could have been better but it could have been a whole lot worse, I apologize for the cheap shot in my summary. The movie could have been better but it could have been a whole lot worse, too.