Girls Town (1959)

Silver is a troubled teenage girl sent to a Catholic reform school, where she has trouble fitting in.

Director:

Charles F. Haas (as Charles Haas)

Writers:

Robert Hardy Andrews (story), Robert Smith (screenplay)

Stars:

Mamie Van Doren, Mel Tormé, Ray Anthony

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mamie Van Doren	...	Silver Morgan
Mel Tormé	...	Fred Alger (as Mel Torme)
Ray Anthony	...	Dick Culdane
Margaret Hayes	...	Mother Veronica (as Maggie Hayes)
Paul Anka	...	Jimmy Parlow
Cathy Crosby	...	Singer
Gigi Perreau	...	Serafina Garcia
Elinor Donahue	...	Mary Lee Morgan
Gloria Talbott	...	Vida
Sheilah Graham	...	Sister Grace
James Mitchum	...	Charley Boy (as Jim Mitchum)
Dick Contino	...	Stan Joyce
Harold Lloyd Jr.	...	Chip Gardner
Charles Chaplin Jr.	...	Joe Cates
The Platters	...	Themselves

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

judo | psychotronic film | nun | mother superior | convent school | 

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Taglines:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUTHFUL REBELS GO BAD?

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Innocent and the Damned

Company Credits

Production Co:

Albert Zugsmith Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Early on, when the nuns arrive at the police station to retrieve Sarafina, the "Girls Town" station wagon is a Ford Edsel.

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Goofs

Obvious dummies in Stan's car as it runs up the embankment and crashes during the chicken scene.

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Quotes

Mary Lee Morgan: I'm scared. Fred's trying to send me to Tijuana.
Silver Morgan: Tijuana?
Mary Lee Morgan: So I won't have to testify. He's afraid his Dad will take the car away from him if he found out about the drag race.
Silver Morgan: You mean that rat wants to ship a 15-year-old kid to Mexico to save his hot rod?
Mary Lee Morgan: He said he's giving me $200.
Silver Morgan: Big deal.

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Alternate Versions

Some prints are missing a 1:51 minute scene of Mamie Van Doren singing "Hey, Mama" while taking a shower, provocatively filmed through an opaque glass door. Considered controversial for the times, it was censored in some areas.

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Connections

References White Wilderness (1958)

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Soundtracks

It's Time To Cry
Music and lyrics by Paul Anka
Sung by Paul Anka (uncredited)

User Reviews

A Laugh Riot

Yes, I know that Albert Zugsmith's films are low budget trash. But they are all so entertaining! My favorite part of this one is the casting of Mel Torme as a tough gang leader. Could there possibly be worse casting? And then there's Paul Anka. During the film, bad Mel has a fight with angelic Paul. I always wondered what that was about! Was this supposed to be some Zionist statement or did Mel object to Paul's out of tune singing of "Ave Maria"? Maybe Mel wanted to sing it in Yiddish or use it as a vehicle for a scat solo! But, I digress. Like all the Zugsmith films, this one is both intentionally and unintentionally funny. Director Haas' fast paced direction never lets the film get boring, even though the acting is as horrible as usual. It's in the same class with "High School Confidential", "The Big Operator", "College Confidential" and the greatest of them all, "Sex Kttens Go to College". Thank you Mr. Zugsmith! Don't miss this camp classic.