Fortune and Men's Eyes (1971)
DIRECTOR: Harvey Hart (Shoot) / Jules Schwerin
STARS: Wendell Burton (Go Ask Alice), Michael Greer (Messiah of Evil), Zooey Hall (I Dismember Mama, Born Wild), Danny Freedman
SYNOPSIS: A young man "Smitty" (Burton) gets 6 months for drug possession in a small Canadian prison. He's a first timer and very naive about the way of prison life. His cellmates are cross-dresser "Queenie" (Greer), submissive doormat "Mona" (Freedman) and the quietly scary top dog "Rocky" (Hall). Queenie tries to give Smitty some good advice about navigating and surviving his prison stay. Rocky is unpleasant and distant but he slowly pulls Smitty into a web as he grooms him to be his new bitch. Based on a stage play by John Herbert, the claustrophobic scenes take place in jail cells, a lunchroom, showers, etc. All the actors are first rate with Hall, really bringing a frightening sadistic edge to his role. But it's Greer who really steals the show as the flamboyant queen of the prison who has more connections and know-how than anyone else. The film does have some light moments and a few laughs but its pretty grim at times with multiple rape scenes, guard abuse and overall desperation. Rather than a big prison drama like American Me it reminds me more of a film like Short Eyes (1977). The original stage play in Los Angeles was performed with Sal Mineo and Don Johnson in the lead roles. Shot on location in "Quebec Prison" in Canada.
Fullscreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: Harvey Hart (Shoot) / Jules Schwerin
STARS: Wendell Burton (Go Ask Alice), Michael Greer (Messiah of Evil), Zooey Hall (I Dismember Mama, Born Wild), Danny Freedman
SYNOPSIS: A young man "Smitty" (Burton) gets 6 months for drug possession in a small Canadian prison. He's a first timer and very naive about the way of prison life. His cellmates are cross-dresser "Queenie" (Greer), submissive doormat "Mona" (Freedman) and the quietly scary top dog "Rocky" (Hall). Queenie tries to give Smitty some good advice about navigating and surviving his prison stay. Rocky is unpleasant and distant but he slowly pulls Smitty into a web as he grooms him to be his new bitch. Based on a stage play by John Herbert, the claustrophobic scenes take place in jail cells, a lunchroom, showers, etc. All the actors are first rate with Hall, really bringing a frightening sadistic edge to his role. But it's Greer who really steals the show as the flamboyant queen of the prison who has more connections and know-how than anyone else. The film does have some light moments and a few laughs but its pretty grim at times with multiple rape scenes, guard abuse and overall desperation. Rather than a big prison drama like American Me it reminds me more of a film like Short Eyes (1977). The original stage play in Los Angeles was performed with Sal Mineo and Don Johnson in the lead roles. Shot on location in "Quebec Prison" in Canada.
Fullscreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: Harvey Hart (Shoot) / Jules Schwerin
STARS: Wendell Burton (Go Ask Alice), Michael Greer (Messiah of Evil), Zooey Hall (I Dismember Mama, Born Wild), Danny Freedman
SYNOPSIS: A young man "Smitty" (Burton) gets 6 months for drug possession in a small Canadian prison. He's a first timer and very naive about the way of prison life. His cellmates are cross-dresser "Queenie" (Greer), submissive doormat "Mona" (Freedman) and the quietly scary top dog "Rocky" (Hall). Queenie tries to give Smitty some good advice about navigating and surviving his prison stay. Rocky is unpleasant and distant but he slowly pulls Smitty into a web as he grooms him to be his new bitch. Based on a stage play by John Herbert, the claustrophobic scenes take place in jail cells, a lunchroom, showers, etc. All the actors are first rate with Hall, really bringing a frightening sadistic edge to his role. But it's Greer who really steals the show as the flamboyant queen of the prison who has more connections and know-how than anyone else. The film does have some light moments and a few laughs but its pretty grim at times with multiple rape scenes, guard abuse and overall desperation. Rather than a big prison drama like American Me it reminds me more of a film like Short Eyes (1977). The original stage play in Los Angeles was performed with Sal Mineo and Don Johnson in the lead roles. Shot on location in "Quebec Prison" in Canada.
Fullscreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R