Female Jungle ** (1956, Lawrence Tierney, Jayne Mansfield, John Carradine) – Classic Movie Review 7733

‘Thrills jolt with the burst of gunfire!’ Director Bruno VeSota’s 1956 film noir crime thriller Female Jungle stars Lawrence Tierney as Detective Sergeant Jack Stevens, a cop who investigates a blonde film star’s death after he has been discovered in an alcoholic stupor in the place where she was murdered. Of course he finds that there are several ripe suspects in the murder case.

Female Jungle is of interest though it is just a derivative, bargain-basement thriller, with mainly just Tierney’s gruff performance, John Carradine’s turn as Claude Almstead, a movie Svengali, and Jayne Mansfield’s debut (as a slut called Candy Price) to recommend it.

Also in the cast are Burt Kaiser (the film’s producer and co-writer) as Alex Voe, Kathleen Crowley, Rex Thorsen [aka Duane Grey], Jack Hill [aka Cornelius Keefe], Davis Roberts, James Kodl, Bruce Carlisle, Connie Cezon, Jean Lewis [aka Eve Brent] and Bruno VeSota (the film’s director and co-writer) as Frank.

Female Jungle is directed by Bruno VeSota, runs 73 minutes, is made by Bert Kaiser Productions Inc, is released by American Releasing Corporation, is written by Burt Kaiser and Bruno VeSota, from a story by Burt Kaiser, is shot by Elwood Bredell, is produced by Burt Kaiser, is scored by Nicholas Carras and designed by Ben Roseman.

It was shot between November and December 1954 but not released until 16 June 1956 as a double feature with The Oklahoma Woman (1956). It is Mansfield’s first filmed appearance,  but release wise her 1955 appearances as Cigarette Girl in Pete Kelly’s Blues, Angel O’Hara in Illegal and Mario’s Dance Partner at Nightclub in Hell on Frisco Bay came first.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7733

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