HOUSE OF WOMEN
US, 1962, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Shirley Knight, Constance Ford, Andrew Duggan, Barbara Nichols.
Directed by Walter Doniger.
House of women is an interesting if routine film about a women's prison. The classic of its kind is Caged. There have been many film about women's prisons, e.g. I Want to Live, but the staple of this kind of entertainment is in the detail of the way of life, the characters of the prisoners, the clashes with authority. This film at times seems highly melodramatic but melodrama of this kind is always interesting and a vehicle for exploring human values. The resemblance to many subsequent television series is obvious. The film boasts good performances from Shirley Knight (Oscar-nominated at this time for The Dark at the Top of the Stairs and Sweet Bird of Youth), Constance Ford. The screenplay was written by Crane Wilbur and the film was directed by writer-director of small action films, Walter Doniger.
1. Audience response to films about prisons? The tradition of films about men's prisons, women's prisons? The popularity of the theme on television series? Melodrama? Insight through crises and interactions? The overtones of soap opera and the cumulation of crises? The importance of situations, characters, clashes?
2. The atmosphere of the '60s? Behaviour and language? Violence? The treatment of prisoners at the time? Social issues? Criminality, mad~ ness? The need for social change and the improvement of treatment of prisoners?
3. What insight did the film offer? Compassion? Stances taken? Message?
4. Black and white photography, the atmosphere of the prison, the cells, the yard, the dining room, the sewing room? The offices and the home of the warden?
5. Audience response to women put together in prison situation? Sensitivity and sensibilities? Interaction and emotional flaring? Rivalries within the groups? The leaders and the led? The interaction with the wardens? Administration? The particular focus of this prison on the mothers with their children? The differences that this made to the style of the prison?
6. The background of the women's crimes being taken for granted? Brief explanations? The focus on the women within the prison context? Their fears, the effect of their punishment? The importance of the parole board? The importance of Candy's speech to the parole board and her not wanting to leave the prison because of the difficulties for ex-cons? The particular focus of the rules about children and their adoption? Possibilities of rehabilitation?
7. The basic set-up and social interaction in prisons: isolation, punishment, rules and regulations, repression? The communication by loudspeaker? The distance of the warden? The warden with his particular philosophy of life, the bitterness of experience imposed upon the prisoners? Mrs. Stoughton and her strict administration of the warden's rules? The importance of strict interpretation or benign interpretation? The build-up to breaking point? Demonstrations, riots, hostages? The violent confrontation in order to achieve improvements?
8. The focus on Erica - her arrival, the benign treatment of the doctor, her pregnancy? Her behaviour in the prison? The later revelation of the truth about her story and her pleading guilty? Her trying to cope in the prison, her care for her child, the hopes for retaining custody? Her reaction to the warden? Her work in his home? His change of attitude? Her using him and reacting to him? The party for her daughter and the pathos and pain of her daughter being taken away? The demonstration and her collapse? The warden abusing his office and his affection for Erica and refusing her custody and, parole? Her violent reaction? The stances against authority? The confrontation with Sophie and the possibility of her getting parole? The innocent girl victimised and becoming the victim of experience? A realistic portrait of a prison victim?
9. The contrast with Sophie and Tommy? Her violence and leadership? Her anguish after the treatment of Erica, her leading the riot, the solitary? Her gradually going mad? The pain of the death of Tommy (and its being prepared for by his going up onto the ladder previously)? The pathos of her final collapse after the threatening of violence? Candy and the background of her stripping and entertaining - her cheekiness to the warden? Her speech to the parole board and not wanting parole? The glimpse of the other prisoners? Their fights, rivalries, clashes? The incident in the dining room? The demonstration after the party? The importance of their being treated as mothers?
10. The staff: Mrs. Stoughton and her strict interpretation, Jennings and her having to do the job for the money, the various wardens? The doctor and his alcoholism and his benign attitude?
11. Governor Cole and his harshness, strict interpretation of the law, seeing him at home with the prisoners, especially his reaction to Candy, his relenting towards Erica telling her his story, being benign because of her? The credibility of his change of heart in preventing her parole and his becoming strict again? His behaviour during the riots and his impositions on the prisoners? His selfishness?
12. The picture of the parole board and the justice of their discussions? Mrs. Hunter and her role? Her being taken as hostage? The risk of her death? Her comforting Sophie when she was safe?
13. The selection of dramatic incidents? The build-up to the demonstration? The outside authority and the dialogue? Newspaper headlines? Sophie's violence going too far and the reaction of the other prisoners?
14. The entertainment value of this kind of melodrama? Popular entertainment? The basic values of good and evil, the confrontation of good and evil? Stereotypes but insight into stereotypes via conventions?
