Director: William Morgan
Written by: Edward D. Wood Jr.
Cast: Jean Moorhead, Barbara Weeks, Arthur Millan

Year / Country: 1956, USA
Running Time: 57 mins.

The Violent Years is about a gang of four girls that commit violent robberies and take their thrills unashamed! The script was written by none other than the famed Ed Wood. Although he didn’t direct this himself, it has certainly got his signature all over it. Especially, the patronising voice-over is typical of Mr. Wood.

The theme of the movie is juvenile delinquency. Parents should bring up good children as their duty to society. Kids should strive for good citizenship, self restraint, politeness and loyalty. The way in which this message is delivered is laughable though. It reminds of Reefer Madness with the condescending tone that is insulting to the viewer. And then I haven’t even mentioned the terrible acting and clumsy direction.

At the end of the movie, when the leader of the gang Paula is in front of the judge, you realise the true ridiculousness of the film. The speech of the judge goes something like this; ‘The Thrillseeker is much like the drug addict. With his continual increase of dosage until its climax: a murder.’ I had expected more from Wood than a piece of propaganda about juvenile delinquency sold as an exploitation movie. Don’t waste your time on this one folks.

Rating:

Biography: William Morgan (1899, London – 1964) worked as an editor from the early thirties till the late fifties. His resume contains films of many different genres, including science fiction movies like Tarantula and the TV-show Lassie. In the forties he directed quite a few features, including a series of westerns starring Gene Autry. His final film as a director was the Ed Wood scripted film The Violent Years.

Filmography: Bowery Boy (1940), Mr. District Attorney (1941), The Gay Vagabond (1941), Sunset in Wyoming (1941), Mercy Island (1941), Sierra Sue (1941), Cowboy Serenade (1942), Heart of the Rio Grande (1942), Home in Wyomin’ (1942), Stardust on the Sage (1942), Bells of Capistrano (1942), Secrets of the Underground (1942), Headin’ for God’s Country (1943), Fun & Fancy Free (1947), The Violent Years (1956)