LADY GANGSTER
US, 1942, 62 minutes, Black and white.
Faye Emerson, Julie Bishop, Frank Wilcox, Roland Drew, Jackie Gleason, Ruth Ford, Virginia Brisssac, Dorothy Vaughan, Dorothy Adams, William Hopper, Vera Lewis, Herbert Rawlinson.
Directed by Florian Roberts (Robert Florey).
Lady Gangster is a brief crime film of the early 1940s, directed by Robert Florey (Beast with Five Fingers) under the name Florian Roberts. It is a star vehicle for Faye Emerson who plays something of a femme fatale, a would-be actress who is connected with criminals, helps with a bank robbery but, when they want to cut her out of the proceeds, she takes and hides the money and confesses to her deception.
Part of the film is a typical women’s prison film, a range of characters, friends and alliances, intrigues, snitches, and a deaf woman who can read lips and complicates plans.
A newspaperman helps the DA, formerly attracted to the actress but having lost touch. She misunderstands and thinks he has betrayed her and is vengeful.
Eventually, getting out of prison and reclaiming the money, there is a reconciliation – and perhaps a future for her.
More interesting than many of the similar films of the period.
1. A supporting feature of the 1940s? Variation on film noir? the femme fatale? The world of gangsters, police and reporters? Women’s prisons and the inmates?
2. The brevity of the film, the strong character cast, action sequences, life in the city, offices? Prison life? The musical score?
3. The title, Dot, her small town background, coming to the city, acting, failure, overcoming her past, money problems? The link with the gangsters? Her performance, knocking on the door of the bank, the criminals getting in, the participation of the robbery, her cover? The background story, false name and documents, getting to the railway station? The police interrogations, her proclaiming her innocence? The elaborate cover?
4. Action, the robbery, the money, wanting to oust Dot? Her confronting them, wanting her share? Taking all the money? Hiding it with Ma Silsby? Ma and her collaboration?
5. The DA, wanting the help of Ken, his relationship with Dot in the past, his collaboration? Discussions with Dot, liking her, her trust? Her later thinking he had betrayed her?
6. Her confession, her deal, hiding the money? Her plans?
7. The film and its transition into a women’s prison film, the range of characters, the African- American dancer, her close friend and information, the snitch and the matron, the contribution of Deaf Annie? The various plans and plots?
8. The plan, Ken and his role, Dot and her anger, change of heart, the recovery of the money?
9. The resolution of the plot, Dot and Ken, the complexities within just an hour of narration?
