Saturday, March 13, 2010

Movie review – “Reform School Girls” (1957) **1/2

Some decent names on this 50s AIP girl JD film – Luana Andrews, Yvette Vickers, Ed Byrnes, Sally Kellerman (!), which was written and directed by Edward Bernds, who makes a fair fist of it. It's great trashy fun – Gloria Castillo is sexually assaulted by her uncle, called a tramp by her aunt, hangs out with juvenile delinquents (including Byrnes) in a hot car, is cracked on to by her boyfriend’s friend (Byrnes), then arrested for being in a hot car, but don’t squeal for fear of Byrnes and winds up in reform school. 
There’s a great cross-section of clichés – dopey pregnant girl waiting for her boyfriend, firecracker Vickers, Byrnes’ no-good girlfriend, the keen matriarchal woman who runs the reform school. There is a dull shrink who tries to get through to the kids (but not in a romantic way - which would have kicked the story up) and a bland nice love interest for Castillio. 
There are a couple of cat fights, Castillo is falsely accused of being a squealer. Castillo isn’t much in a good role but Vickers is great value; Byrne’s performance is full of nervous method ticks but is great fun.

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