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Girls Town

  • 19591959
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
3.8/10
923
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Paul Anka and Mamie Van Doren in Girls Town (1959)
  • Drama
Silver is a troubled teenage girl sent to a Catholic reform school, where she has trouble fitting in.Silver is a troubled teenage girl sent to a Catholic reform school, where she has trouble fitting in.Silver is a troubled teenage girl sent to a Catholic reform school, where she has trouble fitting in.
IMDb RATING
3.8/10
923
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Charles F. Haas
  • Writers
    • Robert Hardy Andrews(story)
    • Robert Smith(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Mamie Van Doren
    • Mel Tormé
    • Ray Anthony
Top credits
  • Director
    • Charles F. Haas
  • Writers
    • Robert Hardy Andrews(story)
    • Robert Smith(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Mamie Van Doren
    • Mel Tormé
    • Ray Anthony
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos11

    Paul Anka in Girls Town (1959)
    Mamie Van Doren in Girls Town (1959)
    Elinor Donahue and Mel Tormé in Girls Town (1959)
    Paul Anka, Margaret Hayes, and Mamie Van Doren in Girls Town (1959)
    Girls Town (1959)
    Girls Town (1959)
    Mamie Van Doren in Girls Town (1959)
    Mamie Van Doren in Girls Town (1959)
    Mamie Van Doren in Girls Town (1959)
    Paul Anka, Mel Tormé, and Mamie Van Doren in Girls Town (1959)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mamie Van Doren
    Mamie Van Doren
    • Silver Morganas Silver Morgan
    Mel Tormé
    Mel Tormé
    • Fred Algeras Fred Alger
    Ray Anthony
    Ray Anthony
    • Dick Culdaneas Dick Culdane
    Margaret Hayes
    Margaret Hayes
    • Mother Veronicaas Mother Veronica
    Paul Anka
    Paul Anka
    • Jimmy Parlowas Jimmy Parlow
    Cathy Crosby
    Cathy Crosby
    • Singeras Singer
    Gigi Perreau
    Gigi Perreau
    • Serafina Garciaas Serafina Garcia
    Elinor Donahue
    Elinor Donahue
    • Mary Lee Morganas Mary Lee Morgan
    Gloria Talbott
    Gloria Talbott
    • Vidaas Vida
    Sheilah Graham
    Sheilah Graham
    • Sister Graceas Sister Grace
    James Mitchum
    James Mitchum
    • Charley Boyas Charley Boy
    • (as Jim Mitchum)
    Dick Contino
    • Stan Joyceas Stan Joyce
    Harold Lloyd Jr.
    • Chip Gardneras Chip Gardner
    Charles Chaplin Jr.
    Charles Chaplin Jr.
    • Joe Catesas Joe Cates
    The Platters
    The Platters
    • Themselvesas Themselves
    Peggy Moffitt
    Peggy Moffitt
    • Floas Flo
    Peter Leeds
    • Michael Clydeas Michael Clyde
    Norman Grabowski
    Norman Grabowski
    • Skinas Skin
    • (as Grabowski)
    • Director
      • Charles F. Haas
    • Writers
      • Robert Hardy Andrews(story)
      • Robert Smith(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Chip is killed accidentally while trying to rape a blonde girl, who runs. Silver becomes the number-one suspect although she has an alibi, but because she's had previous brushes with the law she's sent to Girls Town, a nun-run home for young women in trouble with the law. Rebellious Silver causes trouble at the school, and her friend Serafina's infatuation with a young singer brings her to the brink of self-destruction. Meanwhile, Chip's father hires a detective to learn the truth, and Chip's friend Fred makes trouble for Silver's sister at a drag race. Silver has problems, all right. —Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com>
    • judo
    • psychotronic film
    • camp
    • nun
    • mother superior
    • 8 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUTHFUL REBELS GO BAD?
    • Genre
      • Drama
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was parodied by Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Season 6, Episode 1.
    • Goofs
      Obvious dummies in Stan's car as it runs up the embankment and crashes during the chicken scene.
    • Quotes

      Stan Joyce: [as the Dragon and Jaguar gangs square off] You cats lookin' for a rumble?

      Fred Alger: We're lookin' for Silver Morgan.

      Silver Morgan: [Steps out] You found her.

      Fred Alger: You had a date with Chip tonight.

      Silver Morgan: So what?

      Fred Alger: You drove out to the cave with him.

      Silver Morgan: Guess again, flea brain. I stood him up.

      Fred Alger: Why?

      Silver Morgan: I got tired of you cats with the fast cars and the slow heads. You give me a pain in the ears.

      Stan Joyce: That's tellin' him, chick.

      Fred Alger: Is this your lipstick, baby?

      Silver Morgan: Where did you get it?

      Fred Alger: Chip's dead.

      Silver Morgan: Dead?

      Fred Alger: Yeah, dead.

      Silver Morgan: I always told him he drove that Jag real crazy.

      Stan Joyce: Wait a minute. How did it happen?

      Fred Alger: He went over a cliff but not in his Jag. Silver here must have pushed him.

      Silver Morgan: You're in queersville, man. You've flipped.

      Fred Alger: What are you givin' me, baby? I saw you runnin' away over an hour ago.

      Fred Alger, Stan Joyce: You're nuts. The chick' been here all the time since this crazy weenie roast began So, uh, why don't you guys get in your little cars and blow?

      Fred Alger: Yeah, sure.

      [Grabs Silver]

      Fred Alger: C'mon baby, you're blowin' with us.

      Silver Morgan: [Wrests away from him] Ha! Ha! Ha!

      Charley Boy: Hey, man. Have some suds?

      [He splashes Fred with beer and all the Dragons laugh]

      Fred Alger: [Angry] It's on.

      [the two gangs get into a rumble]

    • Alternate versions
      Some prints are missing a censored 1:51 minute scene of the star singing while taking a shower, provocatively photographed through an opaque shower door. The scene can be found online through a key word search: "Mamie Van Doren Hey Mama".
    • Connections
      Featured in Hollywood Uncensored (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      Girls Town
      Music and lyrics by Paul Anka

      Sung by Paul Anka and Mamie Van Doren (uncredited)

      Opening and closing credits

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    My goodness but Mamie sure could fill-up an outfit!
    Already on probation for a series of petty crimes, Silver Morgan (Mamie Van Doren) is facing time in juvenile detention after being accused by a witness of pushing her boyfriend off a cliff. Fortunately for Silver, Mother Veronica offers to take her in at Girls Town - a Catholic home for troubled young women. Silver doesn't want to fit in and has trouble with the other girls from the moment she arrives. But when her kid sister gets into trouble, it's these very same people she turns to for help. Can Girls Town save Silver - and her sister?

    If Silver Morgan is 16 years old, then I'm a teenager myself. My goodness but Mamie sure could fill-up an outfit! Curves galore! And what kind of name is "Silver"? Sounds like a stripper name to me! But even though this is low-budget 50s-style exploitation, Mamie gives a surprisingly decent performance. It's not award worthy or anything, but I enjoyed it.

    Beyond Mamie, another "highlight" of the movie has to be the fight scene between those two imposing specimens of masculinity, Paul Anka and Mel Torme. That's right - Paul Anka and Mel Torme in a fight! It's one of the absolute funniest things I've seen in a long time. I mean Mamie's bra is tougher than these two. Still, it's a moment that made the movie for me.

    Realistically, Girls Town isn't anywhere near as good as my rating would indicate. But as I've said before, my ratings are based on the entertainment value I find in movies regardless of a lot of other factors. If I watch a movie and enjoy it and have fun with it, it gets a good rating. And unlike a lot of other reviewers, I had a blast with Girls Town.

    I watched the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version of Girls Town and loved it. The riffs were dead-on and hysterical. I've got no problems rating episode #601 a 4/5 on my MST3K rating scale. This is one any fan of the show should seek out.
    helpful•15
    0
    • bensonmum2
    • Jul 15, 2007

    FAQ1

    • WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUTHFUL REBELS GO BAD?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 5, 1959 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Innocent and the Damned
    • Production company
      • Albert Zugsmith Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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