The Violent Years

The Violent Years, directed by William Morgan and written by Ed Wood, is a thought-provoking crime film from 1956 that offers an interesting perspective on teen delinquency during the era. The film stars Jean Moorhead, Barbara Weeks, Art Millan amongst others, and its unconventional storyline is a striking commentary on the consequences of parental neglect.

The movie showcases the life of Paula Parkins, a high school student, played by Jean Moorhead. She is the daughter of a wealthy newspaper editor and a socialite mother; both are highly absorbed in their careers. Despite the material comforts, Parkins is left feeling emotionally neglected due to her parents' busy lives. This results in a rebellious spirit, a yearning for attention from her parents, which drives her to a life of growing unbridled rebellion and escalating crime.

The Violent Years centers on Paula's descent into a world filled with all manner of vice. Paula forms an all-girl gang, including Georgia (Barbara Weeks), Phyllis (Theresa Hancock), and Geraldine (Joanne Cangi). The gang engages in a series of escalating crimes, starting from minor misdemeanors to increasingly serious offences. They commit burglaries and hold-ups, often targeting men whom they leave bound and humiliated. Their violent escapades dominate the plot, showcasing the extent of their disregard for societal norms and laws.

In this film, Moorhead delivers an exceptional performance, embodying a complex role with a sense of raw intensity, making her character believable and poignant. The rest of the all-girl gang also manage to convince with their displays of teenage rebellion, making the plunge into crime seem alarmingly plausible. Barbara Weeks, in the role of Georgia, adds a nuanced performance, contributing to the overall disturbing aura of the plot.

The movie's depiction of female criminals is rather unusual for the time, offering a unique gender perspective for a genre traditionally dominated by male characters. The Violent Years touches on themes of women's equality, albeit in a shadowy, criminal context, in an era where such discussions were often not brought to the fore. It's a shocking portrayal of female rebellion and resistance gone horribly wrong.

Art Millan plays the role of Carl, Paula's unsuspecting boyfriend, who unknowingly gets entangled in her spiraling web of wrongdoings. His character stands as a counterpoint to Paula's, reflecting the more typical, less dramatic expectations of teenage life. His unpreparedness for Paula's dark side adds depth to the storyline, offering a perspective on the alienating effects of Paula's path of self-destruction.

Despite its low budget, the film successfully maintains a gritty and suspenseful atmosphere, further emphasized with the help of eerie cinematography and a tense background score. The Violent Years uses newsy behind-the-scenes narration and pointed dialogue to create a nuanced critique of post-war American suburban life. The taut story develops quickly, building up to a chilling climax.

A key underlying theme in The Violent Years is the criticism of parental ignorance and neglect. The movie drastically demonstrates the disastrous effects of parents failing to give their children the required time and emotional support. This urgent call to parents, signaling the atrocities that neglect can result in, is one of the enduring takeaways from the film.

The Violent Years oscillates between a cautionary tale and a exploitation flick, leaving the viewer perturbed, intrigued, and a little uncomfortable. The movie came to be known for its unusual all-girl gang plot and its uncompromising personification of teen rebellion going off the rails due to lack of guidance.

All in all, The Violent Years is an unusual blend of teenage rebellion, gender dynamics, crime, and parental neglect. It stands out as a distinct interpretation of the 1950s teen exploitation genre and remains as one of the most daring examples of the societal critiques typical of B-movies of the era. This film is a must-watch for those interested in a different, darker aspect of 1950s teenage culture and the rebellious path it might take when left unattended.