The story of Aileen Wournes is an horrific one. Brutilised and abused from the time she was born she never really had a chance - Beaten by her father by reporting sexual abuse at the hands of a family friend. A prostitute from age 13. This doese not excuse the murders she committed (Except,possibly, the first one which was clearly self defense). What is does do is inspire compassion for her and the disasters of life choices she made, or were really made for by a sexist and classist society. The film is a also very clear about the enormous problems of American society. The lack of a genuine social welfare system helped to create her and the situation whereby she felt sex work and robbery were her only choices. A brilliant movie.
