Directed by William Morgan and written by cult legend Edward D. Wood Jr., The Violent Years is a sensationalist crime drama that dives headfirst into 1950s fears about teenage rebellion, moral decay, and parental neglect. With its all-girl gang, courtroom sermons, and over-the-top dialogue, the film is a campy cautionary tale that’s become a cult favorite for its unintentional absurdity.
Plot Summary
Paula Parkins (Jean Moorhead) is the privileged daughter of wealthy parents who are too busy to notice she’s spiraling into delinquency. Seeking thrills, she forms a gang with her friends Georgia, Geraldine, and Phyllis, dressing like boys and committing violent crimes—including gas station robberies, school vandalism, and even sexual assaults.
Their crime spree escalates when a shady “fence” hires them to sabotage a school on behalf of un-American clients, hinting at Cold War paranoia. Eventually, Paula is caught and brought before a judge who delivers a scathing indictment—not just of her, but of her absentee parents. The film ends with a moralistic warning about the consequences of neglect and thrill-seeking.
Cast Highlights
- Jean Moorhead as Paula Parkins
- Barbara Weeks and Art Millan as her parents
- Theresa Hancock, Joanne Cangi, and Gloria Farr as her gang
- Glen Corbett as Barney Stetson (not the later TV actor)
- Timothy Farrell as Lt. Holmes
- Clara I. Stanford Jolley as the judge
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- The girls adopt male names during their crimes: Paula becomes Paul, Geraldine is Gerry, Phyllis is Phil, and Georgia is George
- The character “Shirley,” attacked in the park, shares the name of Ed Wood’s cross-dressing persona, which appears more prominently in his later films
- Dialogue from the film was sampled by Ministry in their song “So What?” on the album The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste
- The film was riffed on Mystery Science Theater 3000, Season 6, adding to its cult status
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.