Fallon Angel

The Lady in Red (Lewis Teague, 1979)

Preface: This isn't a film about the Chris de Burgh song.

Arthur Penn's 1967 crime drama Bonnie and Clyde might be considered one of the earliest examples of New Hollywood breakthrough into the mainstream. It also kicked off a spate of outlaw themed hicksploitation films via legendary producer Roger Corman; Bloody Mama (1970) and Big Bad Mama (1974) being the obvious titles. It turns out Corman's daughter was a chip off the old block as she  produced a gem of a gangster story, The Lady in Red (1979).

Based on the life Edythe "Polly" Hamilton, the girlfriend of The Great Depression outlaw John Dillinger, The Lady in Red (1979) chronicles various events in her life which lead up to her becoming an outlaw herself. From a simple farm girl, to prostitute to a gangster moll, this loosely based biopic doesn't pull its punches with the our heroine's, renamed as Polly Frankin in the film, rough life.

Each chapter of Polly Franklin's life is compelling viewing. The film features a generous amount of female nudity and nasty violence - something current Hollywood might too afraid to repeat now. Also, despite its producers and the studio its born from, The Lady in Red is less of an exploitation and more of a tough drama. The film impressed me with how it managed to go in a direction that I didn't expect, and wound up being a positive surprise.

Actress, Pamela Sue Martin, better known for playing the OG Fallon Carrington from the eighties soap opera Dynasty, plays the destitute Polly Franklin in the film. She delivers a great, no holds barred performance; going from simple farm girl, to prostitute, to an actual gangster by the end. Her character development is remarkably compelling. The rest of the cast include Robert Conrad as John Dillinger, Louise Fletcher as the bordello madam Anna Sage and an uncredited Robert Forster as Turk, a suave hitman. The biggest surprise is seeing Christopher Lloyd in his scene-stealing role, the dangerously psychotic gangster Frognose.

Not sure if The Lady in Red is the kind of film that would be made today; at least on the same impactful level. A modern adaptation would likely be absurd and exaggerated, with Margot Robbie to famous to get her kit off, and a bunch of modern songs thrown in à la Peaky Blinders. Also, if we're talking about Hollywood, it would obviously cower away from the numerous violent scenes inflicted upon women. This film does not shy away from violence at all.

Director Lewis Teague and writer John Sayles worked together on another film after The Lady in Red, the cult classic Jaws-rip-off Alligator (1980). Browsing online for any other films they might have worked together on was how I discovered this gangster gem. Too bad there weren't any other projects, as they were a strong combination.