How amazing, a few months ago I came across a Kay Francis Monogram called "Allotment Wives" (1945). In it she played the head of a marriage racket whose daughter comes home from a fancy finishing school and decides she wants to be part of the racket as well. But good old Betty Compson was in the original (with a few variations). Compson seemed to have more come backs than Dame Nellie Melba (to use a colloquial phrase) but in reality she never stopped working. This movie was from exploitation producer J.D. Kendis who used a bit more daring in his movies about the sordid side of life.
Compson is joined by Wheeler Oakman whose career went right back to Mabel Normand's "Mickey" where he was the male lead. By the early 1940s he was firmly ensconced in the exploitation grind. He may have been a nice guy but he had a sleazy look about him, ideally suited to this type of movie.
This one deviates slightly from "Allotment Wives" - in this one Betty Compson plays Ruth Ashley, head of a big escort agency who has finally won a place in high society. The fly in the ointment is her daughter June (Margaret Maruis) who is coming home for a visit from her posh finishing school and doesn't know her mother's real occupation!!! As if Ruth doesn't have enough to worry about, June is also bringing her fiancée, Drake, who is coming to the city on an undercover assignment to expose - you guessed it, the head of the escort racket!!!
The movie hovers between laughs and drama - the gals tell "hilarious" stories of their encounters with clients, there is even a pretty salacious striptease that doesn't leave much to the imagination. The main story is strictly dramatic and both Betty Compson and Wheeler Oakman with their professionalism make sure the movie is saved from being unintentionally funny. Drake, as part of his investigation, hires an escort and Stone (Oakman) to retaliate against June, who now wants to give up the agency and be really respectable, sends June along to be his date!!! There is the usual misunderstanding and June goes back to Stone's apartment to find out the truth. Stone obliges by telling her about her mother then June hits the bottle and cheesy lines fly thick and fast - "Hey, it looks like you're sobering up, have another drink" and the old standby "Sure I've been drinking - to try to forget my broken dreams" - I assure you it really is said!!!
The film was pretty choppy - supposedly 68 minutes, my print was only 58 minutes. Even with 10 minutes out the story was pretty easy to follow.
Compson is joined by Wheeler Oakman whose career went right back to Mabel Normand's "Mickey" where he was the male lead. By the early 1940s he was firmly ensconced in the exploitation grind. He may have been a nice guy but he had a sleazy look about him, ideally suited to this type of movie.
This one deviates slightly from "Allotment Wives" - in this one Betty Compson plays Ruth Ashley, head of a big escort agency who has finally won a place in high society. The fly in the ointment is her daughter June (Margaret Maruis) who is coming home for a visit from her posh finishing school and doesn't know her mother's real occupation!!! As if Ruth doesn't have enough to worry about, June is also bringing her fiancée, Drake, who is coming to the city on an undercover assignment to expose - you guessed it, the head of the escort racket!!!
The movie hovers between laughs and drama - the gals tell "hilarious" stories of their encounters with clients, there is even a pretty salacious striptease that doesn't leave much to the imagination. The main story is strictly dramatic and both Betty Compson and Wheeler Oakman with their professionalism make sure the movie is saved from being unintentionally funny. Drake, as part of his investigation, hires an escort and Stone (Oakman) to retaliate against June, who now wants to give up the agency and be really respectable, sends June along to be his date!!! There is the usual misunderstanding and June goes back to Stone's apartment to find out the truth. Stone obliges by telling her about her mother then June hits the bottle and cheesy lines fly thick and fast - "Hey, it looks like you're sobering up, have another drink" and the old standby "Sure I've been drinking - to try to forget my broken dreams" - I assure you it really is said!!!
The film was pretty choppy - supposedly 68 minutes, my print was only 58 minutes. Even with 10 minutes out the story was pretty easy to follow.