A gentle, naive, pregnant 19-year-old widow is slowly, inexorably ground down by the hardened criminals, sadistic guards, and matron at a woman's prison. Will she be the same person when her sentence is up?
Frightened 19-year-old Marie Allen gets sent to an Illinois penitentiary for being an accomplice in an armed robbery. A sympathetic prison head tries to help, but her efforts are subverted by cruel matron Evelyn Harper. Marie's harsh experiences turn her from doe-eyed innocent to hard-nosed con.—Anonymous
Naive 19-year old Marie Allen is incarcerated for being an accessory to a minor robbery committed by her husband Tom, who was killed during the robbery. The prison, populated primarily by hardened career criminals, is run by warden Ruth Benton, who is trying to reform the penal system by running a humanistic prison. However she is at odds with sadistic matron Evelyn Harper, who is in charge of Marie's cell block. Evelyn runs her cell block the way she wants despite Benton's directives, and takes bribes from the charge with the most money to offer. Marie's time is rough, as she slowly learns that playing by the legitimate rules will get her nowhere, especially with Harper operating by her own sadistic rules. In addition, Marie is pregnant and has little to no support outside the prison walls to support her and her expanding family. Marie ultimately changes to a more hardened inmate after a series of events including her baby being taken away from her, the suicide of a fellow model inmate following a parole denial, and Marie's own parole denial for circumstances beyond her control. Marie changes for good after being placed in solitary confinement due to an altercation with Harper. Although Harper does eventually get her comeuppance, Marie decides, against the sage advice of lifer Millie Lewis, to take the most expedient way out by joining forces with the inmate with criminal connections on the outside. Despondent Benton knows that Marie will unfortunately be back behind bars.—Huggo
Marie Allen is a 19-year-old innocent who is sent to the State penitentiary after becoming involved in a robbery staged by her now-dead husband. She is two months pregnant and finds herself in the company of both petty and hardened criminals. With the help of a few inmates she quickly learns the inmate pecking order and takes the advice of the kind prison Superintendent, Ruth Benton, to follow the rules and aim to get parole at the end of her first year. Her biggest obstacle is the matron in charge of her section, Evelyn Harper, an evil, sadistic overseer who goes out of her way to make everyone miserable. When her mother refuses to take care of her newborn, it goes into State care, and when Marie is refused parole, she hardens and is destined to a life of crime.—garykmcd
Among the new arrivals at the Women's State Prison is nineteen-year-old Marie Allen, who has been sentenced as an accessory in a gas station robbery during which her husband was killed. Marie's physical examination reveals that she is pregnant, and so Ruth Benton, the warden, assigns her to work as a checker in the laundry. When Evelyn Harper, the matron of Marie's cell block, who exchanges favors for money, learns that Marie has no money, she reassigns her to cleaning the cells. Marie is befriended by toughened convicts Smoochie, Kitty Stark and Claire, who reveal that, like Marie, most of the women are in prison because of men. As her pregnancy advances, Marie becomes ill. Although she will still be in jail when the baby is born, Marie hopes that her mother and stepfather will care for the child until she is paroled. Kitty suggests that Marie join her shoplifting racket when she gets out, explaining that even if she is paroled, she will be forced to stay in jail until she is offered a job. Marie, however, turns the offer down. One of the convicts then has a psychotic breakdown, and when June, another convict, is denied parole, she hangs herself. After Marie goes into early labor, the volunteer doctor expresses his disgust at prison conditions, and Benton makes a proposal to the medical board that her budget be increased. Benton is aware of Harper's sadistic treatment of the women, but her efforts to have the matron fired are always stymied by Harper's political friends. Similarly, her demands for teachers and a psychologist are denied by the prison board. After Marie's mother refuses to take her baby, he is put up for adoption, and as Marie's parole hearing nears, Kitty renews her job offer. Despite Benton's favorable recommendation, Marie's parole is denied. Meanwhile, Elvira Powell, an enemy of Kitty's, is sent to prison. Her wealth easily buys Harper's favoritism, and she is made comfortable. Elvira tries to befriend Marie and recruit her for a call girl ring, but Marie remains loyal to Kitty. One day, while Kitty tries to train a convict in shoplifting techniques, a more hardened Marie demonstrates how easy it is to fool a spotter. Elvira then suggests that Harper inform Benton that Kitty is recruiting women for her shoplifting ring. Kitty is placed in solitary confinement and beaten. After Marie finds a lost kitten, Harper's efforts to remove it lead to a riot. As punishment, Benton rescinds all privileges for the woman and sentences Marie to solitary confinement. Without Benton's knowledge, Harper shaves Marie's head, and Benton again tries to have Harper removed from her position. Harper's friends see that her efforts backfire, and Benton is asked to resign. After Marie returns from the hospital, Kitty kills Harper with a fork. Determined to leave prison at any cost, Marie asks Elvira for help and obtains parole. Despite her efforts, Benton has been unable to reform her prisoners, and after Marie leaves, instructs her secretary to keep her file active, because "she'll be back." Written By --- Robert D Knapp
