"What is a gentleman? I'm afraid you wouldn't know." That's the theme of this exploitation drama about a Hollywood based escort service run by faded B leading lady Betty Compson ("Mad Youth"), now the proprietor and not a client like that 1939 turkey. Once again, she's a mother, but her daughter (Margaret Marquis) has no idea of what mummy dearest does. Not quite "Mrs. Warren's Profession", this could have been that classic George Bernard Shaw play as seen through the eyes of John Waters. Compson has enough on her plate with her daughter's pending visit when she learns that a headline seeking D.A. (Rick Vallin) is out to break up the escort services. Walter Kingsford is truly menacing and oily as Compson's evil partner.
Much more risque than "Mad Youth" (the prostitution angle is totally obvious), But it becomes instantly clear that Marquis is involved with the rising D.A. who goes undercover as a client to expose them, putting his career (and life) in jeopardy, especially when Compson's partner arranges for Marquis to show up at Vallin's door and make him think that Marquis is one of the escort girl. All this does is set the situation up to break the racket which the audience quickly figures out is destined to happen very quickly.
I believe it is Kathryn Keyes as the receptionist of the escort bureau, making nasty faces at the phone as she sets up dates for clients (mainly wealthy older women), and truly funny. It's easy to feel sorry for the sad older women desperate for companionship and more than willing to lavish their much younger lovers with a high living lifestyle. It's obvious what the sinister Kingsford Is up to as he "consoles" Marquis in a manipulation to get her into the racket. As this gets trashier, it gets more fun, and that's the one aspect of this forgotten drama that is worth remembering. While the conclusion has some ridiculous developments, the pay-off for one character is a moment worthy of applause, adding a star onto a movie that only has a few interesting moments throughout.
Much more risque than "Mad Youth" (the prostitution angle is totally obvious), But it becomes instantly clear that Marquis is involved with the rising D.A. who goes undercover as a client to expose them, putting his career (and life) in jeopardy, especially when Compson's partner arranges for Marquis to show up at Vallin's door and make him think that Marquis is one of the escort girl. All this does is set the situation up to break the racket which the audience quickly figures out is destined to happen very quickly.
I believe it is Kathryn Keyes as the receptionist of the escort bureau, making nasty faces at the phone as she sets up dates for clients (mainly wealthy older women), and truly funny. It's easy to feel sorry for the sad older women desperate for companionship and more than willing to lavish their much younger lovers with a high living lifestyle. It's obvious what the sinister Kingsford Is up to as he "consoles" Marquis in a manipulation to get her into the racket. As this gets trashier, it gets more fun, and that's the one aspect of this forgotten drama that is worth remembering. While the conclusion has some ridiculous developments, the pay-off for one character is a moment worthy of applause, adding a star onto a movie that only has a few interesting moments throughout.