Hopped up teenagers are raising havoc in the tabloid thriller "The Devil's Sleep." In the first scene, the authorities arrest 17-year old Frankie Clinton for a warehouse burglary. Afterward, the action shifts from the streets to the office of Judge Rosalind Ballentine (Lita Grey Chaplin) in the justice court building. Ballentine has launched a crackdown on youth run amok, and her crusade has generated banner headlines for her in the newspaper. "The time to end youth crime wave is now," proclaims the righteous juvenile court judge in print. In her office, she is discussing the issue with a 34-year veteran of the police force. The bewildered Inspector (one-time only actor Will Charles) concedes Ballentine with candor, "I don't mind telling you that I've seen everything: tough guys, hoodlums, gunmen, but this is the first time that I've run across anything like this. It looks like the whole new generation has gone suddenly berserk." Judge Ballentine isn't as shocked by the youth crime wave as the Inspector is. She makes allowances for their behavior. "These youngsters are just the products of their environment. Oh, I know some of these kids came from privileged families, but that doesn't entirely constitute environment. It's not only where you live but how you live. The teenagers of the new generation grew up in a time of nerves. Newspapers screaming headlines of race riots, revolutions, earthquakes, back of it all speed. Everyone rushing nowhere to get nowhere for no reason. It's a fast life, Inspector. A whirlpool of speed and confusion and all these kids are caught right in the middle of it." Ballentine's speech provides a sociological basis for the problem of juvenile delinquency.
The Inspector introduces Ballentine to Detective Sergeant Dave Kerrigan (William Thomason) and hands him a sheaf of reports about the youth crime wave. The Inspector observes that high school kids are hopped up and staging hot rod races, vandalism, and arson. "You name it and we've had it," the Inspector complains. "Kids so hopped up they couldn't tell you what they've done." Ballentine points out: "Somebody is making addicts out of these kids and for one purpose—to get them to do his dirty work in exchange for more pills." Ballentine and the Inspector prompt Kerrigan to find a solution to the problem. Despite its many flaws, this bit of cinematic doggerel is the first of three movies to focus on an ex-convict, Humberto Scali (Timothy Farrell of "Glen or Glenda"), who operates a spa called Diana Health System for overweight females. The other films are "Racket Girls" (1951) and "Dance Hall Racket" (1953). The despicable Scali has nothing but contempt for the fat ladies that populate his spa in a hopeless effort to reduce their size. One of Scali's sleazy henchmen observes, "Hey boss, those blimps really line your pocket." Indeed, Scali has enabled the women at his spa to drop pounds by administering an illegal, drug named dinitrophenol. This success has prompted a rise in the number of women who have joined the gym. Primarily, Scali wants to break into another market since the weight reducing women aren't doing that much for him. He wants to corner the market on juvenile delinquents. When he begins to feel the heat of Kerrigan's investigation, Scali takes advantage of her daughter Margie Ballentine (one-time only actress Tracy Lynne) while she is attending a house party with some friends. During a blind man's bluff game at the edge of a swimming pool, Margie falls into the water. Suddenly, a man takes a photograph of her in the nude. Scali uses this incriminating photograph of her daughter to curb Ballentine's efforts. Meantime, when Sergeant Kerrigan isn't investigating the crime, Kerrigan's ambitious girlfriend sets out to help him crack the case.
"The tagline for this movie pinpoints its theme. "Today's Moral MENACE! Daring expose of the devil drug traffic in 'Bennies', 'Goofies' and 'Phenos' as it really exists." "Test Tube Babies" producer George Weiss teamed up with "Hometown Girl" helmer W. Merle Connell to make the lowbrow cautionary yarn "The Devil's Sleep," about the abuse of bennies, dexxies, roofies, phenos and crosses by teenagers as well as adults. Mind you, "The Devil's Sleep" recalls some of those early exploitation epics such as "Reefer Madness," "Cocaine Fiends," and "Marihuana." At one point, there is a glimpse of nudity as a rather slim girl climbs into a sweat box. Unfortunately, "The Devil's Sleep" isn't as amusing as those classics. Basically, Connell's film ranks as rather awful, but not egregious enough to qualify as 'so bad it's good.' The late 1940s style fashions for men and women are a hoot. Check out those super-sized lapels and collars. In fact, nobody dresses poorly in this film. Plainclothes police sergeant Kerrigan dresses in the height of fashion with elaborate suits and ties. Robert Mitchum's brother John plays a doctor who makes an appearance near the end of the movie, while Lita Grey's claim to fame is that she was Charles Chaplin's first wife.
The Inspector introduces Ballentine to Detective Sergeant Dave Kerrigan (William Thomason) and hands him a sheaf of reports about the youth crime wave. The Inspector observes that high school kids are hopped up and staging hot rod races, vandalism, and arson. "You name it and we've had it," the Inspector complains. "Kids so hopped up they couldn't tell you what they've done." Ballentine points out: "Somebody is making addicts out of these kids and for one purpose—to get them to do his dirty work in exchange for more pills." Ballentine and the Inspector prompt Kerrigan to find a solution to the problem. Despite its many flaws, this bit of cinematic doggerel is the first of three movies to focus on an ex-convict, Humberto Scali (Timothy Farrell of "Glen or Glenda"), who operates a spa called Diana Health System for overweight females. The other films are "Racket Girls" (1951) and "Dance Hall Racket" (1953). The despicable Scali has nothing but contempt for the fat ladies that populate his spa in a hopeless effort to reduce their size. One of Scali's sleazy henchmen observes, "Hey boss, those blimps really line your pocket." Indeed, Scali has enabled the women at his spa to drop pounds by administering an illegal, drug named dinitrophenol. This success has prompted a rise in the number of women who have joined the gym. Primarily, Scali wants to break into another market since the weight reducing women aren't doing that much for him. He wants to corner the market on juvenile delinquents. When he begins to feel the heat of Kerrigan's investigation, Scali takes advantage of her daughter Margie Ballentine (one-time only actress Tracy Lynne) while she is attending a house party with some friends. During a blind man's bluff game at the edge of a swimming pool, Margie falls into the water. Suddenly, a man takes a photograph of her in the nude. Scali uses this incriminating photograph of her daughter to curb Ballentine's efforts. Meantime, when Sergeant Kerrigan isn't investigating the crime, Kerrigan's ambitious girlfriend sets out to help him crack the case.
"The tagline for this movie pinpoints its theme. "Today's Moral MENACE! Daring expose of the devil drug traffic in 'Bennies', 'Goofies' and 'Phenos' as it really exists." "Test Tube Babies" producer George Weiss teamed up with "Hometown Girl" helmer W. Merle Connell to make the lowbrow cautionary yarn "The Devil's Sleep," about the abuse of bennies, dexxies, roofies, phenos and crosses by teenagers as well as adults. Mind you, "The Devil's Sleep" recalls some of those early exploitation epics such as "Reefer Madness," "Cocaine Fiends," and "Marihuana." At one point, there is a glimpse of nudity as a rather slim girl climbs into a sweat box. Unfortunately, "The Devil's Sleep" isn't as amusing as those classics. Basically, Connell's film ranks as rather awful, but not egregious enough to qualify as 'so bad it's good.' The late 1940s style fashions for men and women are a hoot. Check out those super-sized lapels and collars. In fact, nobody dresses poorly in this film. Plainclothes police sergeant Kerrigan dresses in the height of fashion with elaborate suits and ties. Robert Mitchum's brother John plays a doctor who makes an appearance near the end of the movie, while Lita Grey's claim to fame is that she was Charles Chaplin's first wife.