''Girls on the Loose'' is a 1958 American

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definit ...

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

directed by

Paul Henreid Paul Henreid (November 10, 1908 – March 29, 1992) was an Austrian-British-American actor, director, producer, and writer. He is best remembered for two film roles; Victor Laszlo in ''Casablanca'' and Jerry Durrance in ''Now, Voyager'', bo ...

and starring

Mara Corday Mara Corday (born Marilyn Joan Watts; January 3, 1930) is an American showgirl, model, actress, ''Playboy'' Playmate, and 1950s cult figure. Early life Corday was born in Santa Monica, California. Wanting a career in films, she came to Hollywoo ...

Lita Milan Lita Milan also known as Lita Trujillo (born 1933) is an American actress. Her film credits include '' The Violent Men'' (1955), '' Desert Sands'' (1955), '' Gun Brothers'' (1956), '' The Ride Back'' (1957), '' Bayou'' (1957), ''The Left Handed G ...

and

Barbara Bostock Barbara Bostock (born December 19, 1935) is a retired American actress. She was sometimes credited as Barbara Lawson. Early years Bostock was born in Palm Beach, Florida as an only child to George Bostock, a shoemaker, who came to Florida from G ...

Plot

Vera (

) runs a nightclub that's really a front for her secret operation: an all-female crime ring that's been pulling off heist after heist. The gang does a major job with the help of Agnes (

Abby Dalton Gladys Marlene Wasden (August 15, 1932 – November 23, 2020), known professionally as Abby Dalton, was an American actress, known for her television roles on the sitcoms '' Hennesey'' (1959–1962) and '' The Joey Bishop Show'' (1962&ndash ...

), a new recruit and insider with access to a bank's payroll. But then the nervous Agnes threatens to squeal, so Vera has her rubbed out. And when Vera's good-girl sister, Helen (

), starts dating suspicious policeman Bill (

Mark Richman Peter Mark Richman (born Marvin Jack Richman; April 16, 1927 – January 14, 2021) was an American actor in films and on television, who was for many years credited as Mark Richman. He appeared in about 30 films and 130 television series from th ...

), Vera gets cutthroat.

Cast

as Vera Parkinson *

as Marie Williams *

as Helen Parkinson *

Peter Mark Richman Peter Mark Richman (born Marvin Jack Richman; April 16, 1927 – January 14, 2021) was an American actor in films and on television, who was for many years credited as Mark Richman. He appeared in about 30 films and 130 television series from th ...

as Police Lt. Bill Hanley (as Mark Richman) *

Joyce Barker Joyce Barker (6 June 1931 – 23 May 1992) was a South African soprano. Joyce Barker was born in Mooi Rivier, a small town in Natal Province, Natal. At the age of nineteen she started training for a professional career with Daisy Holmes in D ...

as Joyce Johanneson *

as Agnes Clark *

Jon Lormer Jon Lormer (May 7, 1906 – March 19, 1986) was an American actor, known for his guest and supporting roles in television series, such as the 1960s' ''Star Trek'', ''The Twilight Zone'', ''Perry Mason'', '' Peyton Place'', and mega movie perfor ...

as Doctor * Ronald Green as Danny * Fred Kruger as Mr. Grant * Paul Lambert as Joe * Monika Henreid as Lilly (as Monica Elizabeth Henreid)

Reception

Writing for

Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasti ...

, critic Nathaniel Thompson described the film as a "low-budget oddity" that is "a proud member fthe girl gang genre," but which is "elevated by a strong, provocative lead bad girl in the form of Corday."

References

External links

* * * 1958 films American crime drama films Film noir 1958 drama films Universal Pictures films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{1950s-crime-drama-film-stub