Runaway Daughters ** (1956, Marla English, Gloria Castillo, Mary Ellen Kay, Anna Sten, John Litel, Lance Fuller, Adele Jurgens) – Classic Movie Review 9478

Director Edward L Cahn’s melodramatic and unconvincing 1956 black and white crime drama Runaway Daughters stars Marla English, Gloria Castillo and Mary Ellen Kay as three teenage girls who go to Hollywood and get into trouble with boys and the police.

Audrey Barton (Marla English) has had enough of her rich, irresponsible parents, Ruth Barton (Anna Sten) and George Barton (John Litel). She takes her new convertible gift from her parents and picks up her girlfriends Mary Rubach (Mary Ellen Kay) and Angie Forrest (Gloria Castillo ) and the three girls head for LA, running away from home.

This deservedly forgotten Fifties teen movie is silly, lurid, and poorly made. But nevertheless it is interesting as a teensploitation film, has period charm, and also has some kitsch value, so it can be viewed as campy fun.

Also in the cast are Anna Sten, John Litel, Lance Fuller, Adele Jurgens, Jay Adler, Snub Pollard, Frank Gorshin, Bess Flowers and Franklyn Farnum.

Runaway Daughters was considered incendiary and refused a UK cinema certificate in 1956 before finally being passed with extensive cuts and an X certificate in 1957. Times have changed: the DVD is PG rated and uncut.

It was released by American International Pictures in a double bill with Shake, Rattle and Rock.

Lou Rusoff based his script on an incident when he worked as a social worker.

Ukrainian-born American actress Anna Sten (December 3, 1908 – November 12, 1993) came out of retirement for the movie. She made one other film, The Nun and the Sergeant.

John Litel replaced Tom Conway, who had a stroke during filming.

The film was shot for $90,000 in nine days, running only two and a half hours into overtime.

Producer Samuel Z Arkoff had signed Steve Terrell (born on December 6, 1929) to a long-term contract for 15 films, also making Invasion of the Saucer Men.

It was loosely remade as Runaway Daughters by Joe Dante in 1994.

Runaway Daughters is directed by Edward L Cahn, runs 92 minutes, is made by Golden State Productions, is released by American International Pictures, is written by Lou Rusoff, is shot in black and white by Frederick E West, is produced by Samuel Z Arkoff and Alex Gordon, is scored by Ronald Stein and is designed by Don Ament.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9478

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