FORMAT: DVD (REWATCH)
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
(As posted on August 17th, 2007)
A sweet young girl named Jane (Lois January) gets seduced by a drug pushing thug named Nick (Noel Madison) who gives her “headache powders” which is actually cocaine. Nick (notice how all the pushers in these old drug movies are always called Nick) brings her to “the big city” and gets her hooked on coke. He keeps her locked up in a hotel room with another hooker and takes her out to schoolyards to push the stuff on kids. Nick also makes her push the dope at the “Dead Rat Café”. Her brother Eddie (Dean Benton) comes to the city looking for her and also becomes a “hophead” and his new fiancée is reduced to prostitution so he can get his fix. Eddie ends up in an opium den and Jane (now calling herself “Lil, the discarded gangster’s moll!”) tries to help him.
This ‘30s drug scare film is more serious and believable (and depressing) than most and is closer in tone to Marihuana than Reefer Madness. Although too much time is spent on the musical acts at the Dead Rat Café, this is probably the most realistic depiction of addiction seen on the screen at that time. The print is pretty jumpy and scratchy but shouldn’t detract from your enjoyment.
AKA: The Pace That Kills.
No comments:
Post a Comment