Often these made-for-TV movies are just unmemorable ways to pass the time, but Prison of Secrets is a whole separate case. It has its melodrama but it's still a shocking, disturbing and compelling true story that has a powerful message against sexism, abuse and the law.
Stephanie Zimbalist (who played Joanna Redwine in the 1980 film The Babysitter) plays the role of Lynn, who makes a simple careless action and ends up in a women's correctional facility for ten years. The women there initially seem to despise her, but soon come to respect her as a brave, caring and strong person when she stands up for their rights as human beings after discovering the sexual abuse being enforced by the prison guards, mainly Sergeant Ed Crang, a nasty fat guy who enjoys doing favors for the women in exchange for being his "special friends". When a woman gets hired as a new guard at the facility, she notices how unfair the treatment of the prisoners is and offers to help.
This move has been dramatized, but it is a true story. In fact, it's very common in prisons for there to be sexual abuse, blackmail, covered up pregnancies, rapes, sexism, secret relationships between inmates and other similar things to happen, but a lot has changed since this movie.
The only thing I didn't like about this movie is that it was implied that men shouldn't be allowed to be guards at women's prisons because they will abuse women there. While this has happened, I'm sure there are many male police officers who would never even think about doing such a horrible thing, this movie made it seem as if all male cops are pigs and sex maniacs behind closed doors.
Prison of Secrets for the most part is an excellent movie that has good soundtrack, acting and a powerful story. There have been other movies similar to it but this one is one of the more realistic ones out there. I highly recommend it, especially if you're into feminism or human rights.
Stephanie Zimbalist (who played Joanna Redwine in the 1980 film The Babysitter) plays the role of Lynn, who makes a simple careless action and ends up in a women's correctional facility for ten years. The women there initially seem to despise her, but soon come to respect her as a brave, caring and strong person when she stands up for their rights as human beings after discovering the sexual abuse being enforced by the prison guards, mainly Sergeant Ed Crang, a nasty fat guy who enjoys doing favors for the women in exchange for being his "special friends". When a woman gets hired as a new guard at the facility, she notices how unfair the treatment of the prisoners is and offers to help.
This move has been dramatized, but it is a true story. In fact, it's very common in prisons for there to be sexual abuse, blackmail, covered up pregnancies, rapes, sexism, secret relationships between inmates and other similar things to happen, but a lot has changed since this movie.
The only thing I didn't like about this movie is that it was implied that men shouldn't be allowed to be guards at women's prisons because they will abuse women there. While this has happened, I'm sure there are many male police officers who would never even think about doing such a horrible thing, this movie made it seem as if all male cops are pigs and sex maniacs behind closed doors.
Prison of Secrets for the most part is an excellent movie that has good soundtrack, acting and a powerful story. There have been other movies similar to it but this one is one of the more realistic ones out there. I highly recommend it, especially if you're into feminism or human rights.