Unwed Mother is a 1958 American drama film directed by Walter A. Doniger and starring Norma Moore, Robert Vaughn, Billie Bird, Diana Darrin and Jeanne Cooper.[1]
| Unwed Mother | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Walter Doniger |
| Screenplay by | Anson Bond Alden Nash |
| Produced by | Joseph Justman |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Lothrop B. Worth |
| Edited by | Neil Brunnenkant |
| Music by | Emil Newman |
| Distributed by | Allied Artists |
Release date |
|
Running time | 74 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
editThe plot concerns Betty Miller (Norma Moore), a shy country girl who moves from a farming community to Los Angeles. She falls in love with a smooth-talking grifter, Don Bigelow (Robert Vaughn), who involves her in a robbery, gets her pregnant, then abandons her. In jail on remand she is cruised by an elder cell mate and befriended by a strip club manageress (Billie Bird).
After visiting a drunken, backyard abortionist (Timothy Carey), Betty is confined in a home for unwed mothers and decides to give the baby up for adoption. But eventually she comes to regret that decision and pursues the foster parents who adopted her child.
Cast
edit- Norma Moore as Betty Miller
- Robert Vaughn as Don Bigelow
- Diana Darrin as Mousie
- Billie Bird as Gertie
- Jeanne Cooper[2] as Mrs. Horton
- Ron Hargrave as Ben
- Kathleen Hughes as Linda
- Sam Buffington as Mr. Paully
- Claire Carleton as Mrs. Miller
- Colette Jackson as Louella
- Timothy Carey[3] as Doctor
- Ken Lynch as Ray Curtis
- Dorothy Adams as Mrs. Paully
- Joan Lora as Mary Ellen
- Ralph Gamble as Minister
Note: Although in keeping with the production code, while the word "pregnancy" is never uttered throughout the film, some actresses in the maternity home scenes are shown with pregnancy pads, which was uncommon on the screens of the 1950s and 60s where explicit displays of maternity tended to be hidden.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Unwed Mother". Turner Classic Movies. Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner). Retrieved November 14, 2016.
- ^ Lentz III 2014, p. 74.
- ^ Monush 2003, p. 111.
- ^ Berlant, Lauren (2002). The Queen of America Goes to Washington City. Duke University Press. p. 133. ISBN 0822319241. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
Sources
edit- Lentz III, Harris M. (2014). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2013 (Lentz's Performing Arts Obituaries). New York City: McFarland & Company. p. 74. ISBN 978-0786476657.
- Monush, Barry (2003). Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors, Vol. 1: From the Silent Era to 1965. Milwaukee: Applause Theatre and Cinema Books. p. 111. ISBN 978-1557835512.
External links
edit- Unwed Mother at IMDb
- Walter Doniger filmography at IMDb
- Norma Moore filmography at IMDb
- Lobby card for Unwed Mother at The Timothy Carey Experience
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