Women’s Prison

Lewis Seiler’s genre-defining B movie Women’s Prison has a familiar cast of characters—the irrepressible, brazen blonde; the wide-eyed ingenue; the ham; the sympathetic, spiritual-singing Black inmate; and more—but the writing and performances buoy the proceedings, especially Ida Lupino as the well-dressed but brutal warden determined to maintain control by any means necessary. When she finally goes too far, the inmates get organized.