1939 exploitation cinema at its most deliciously sleazy — morality play or just playing you?
The Missing Daughters of the title are innocent young girls who've been led astray by seedy dance-hall operator Lucky Rogers.
Production
Gloriously fake 'Broadway' sets built on a shoestring budget.
Acting
Isabel Jewell's scene-stealing as jaded showgirl Peggy.
Writing
Dialogue that wants to be hardboiled but lands somewhere between.
Director
Charles C. Coleman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Columbia Pictures' attempt to compete with 'exploitation' independents while staying technically respectable — the 'educational' framing let them show more skin than A-pictures.
Director Charles C. Coleman spent his career in B-units; this was one of six films he released in 1939 alone, none exceeding 70 minutes.
US
