Fragile young beauty Shirley Knight is locked up in prison, the same year she entertained in "Sweet Bird of Youth" opposite Paul Newman. Here, she's not so lucky; it's crafty, hard-hearted warden Andrew Duggan who takes an interest. A very strong cast assembled by veteran producer, Bryan Foy, in this, the 253rd of his formidable 254 credits and directed by multi-talented Crane Wilbur in the last picture of his long, fine career. Still, schmaltz is to Hollywood what Mom and apple pie are to the USA: in the same year, in the UK, another prison drama about the oppression of the working class by patronizing social overseers was made, "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner," an international hit. Happy endings are not a requirement and realism is not a sin.
Review of House of Women
