Crime Cult Classic

Poverty Row sleaze meets mother-daughter melodrama in a nightclub's shadowy underworld.

ESCORT GIRL

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1941 · 1h 8m · NR · Crime / Drama / Film-Noir / Mystery / Romance · IMDB TMDB

A pair of nightclub owners run a string of escort bureaus where men pay for the "companionship" of young women. The district attorney sends an undercover agent to infiltrate the bureaus.

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Vault Note

Poverty Row never shied from sleaze—this one brings its own Champagne cocktail.

Programmer's Pick

Betty Compson leads a B-movie descent into nightclub vice, with a nightclub/escort racket, undercover stings, and a mother-daughter relationship that’s as strained as the film’s budget. If you like your noir doused in sleaze and stock footage, this Poverty Row number pours it stiff.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Editor’s Choice

Confessions of a Vice Baron

Quick Answer

What is Escort Girl about?

Escort Girl is a 1941 American crime drama directed by Edward Kaye about nightclub owners running an escort agency, a protective mother, and an undercover investigation into their illicit activities.

Details & Specs

Director: Edward Kaye
Writers: David Halperin, Ann Halperin
Release: 1941
Runtime: 1h 8m
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery, Romance

Synopsis

Betty Compson had a bit of an habit of starring in films with a slightly sleazier storyline - and this one is probably one of her worst. She and manipulative cohort Wheeler Oakman ("Gregory") run a nightclub that serves as a front for an extremely lucrative escort agency. They pay for protection, and she sends daughter "June" (Margaret Marquis) abroad as often as she can to keep her out of harm's way, so their lives are relatively straightforward... Until, that is, the daughter returns home, unexpectedly, with beau "Drake" (Robert Kellard) and simultaneously the new DA decides a clampdown is in order and so sends an undercover agent to discover the identity of the ringleader of the illicit dating company. It's all a bit messy, to be honest - none of the characters really catch fire, the story is weakly predictable, there is a great deal of dialogue and the final few scenes feature Compson at her most hammy. Keep an eye out for a scene stealing effort from serial drunk Arthur Houseman, but otherwise nothing to write home about.

Vault Note

Poverty Row never shied from sleaze—this one brings its own Champagne cocktail.

Programmer's Pick

— SassyFlix Programmer

Editor’s Choice

Confessions of a Vice Baron

Why Cult

Poverty Row Guts

Shot on a shoestring, this low-budget affair exemplifies Poverty Row’s flair for squeezing maximum drama from minimal means.

Sordid Nightclub Front

The nightclub-as-escort-agency setup oozes period sleaze, with double crosses and deception lurking behind every champagne cocktail.

Strained Mother-Daughter Drama

Betty Compson and Margaret Marquis anchor the story with a mother desperately trying to shield her daughter from the dangers she profits from.

Undercover Intrigue

A district attorney’s undercover agent infiltrates the escort bureaus, adding a mystery thread to the nightclub noir.

Cast & Crew

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Director: Edward Kaye Writers: David Halperin +1 more

Betty Compson Ruth Ashley MM Margaret Marquis June Ashley

Robert Kellard Drake Hamilton (as Bob Kellard)

Wheeler Oakman Gregory Stone GK Guy Kingsford Breeze Nolan

Isabel La Mal Snuggles (as Isabel Lamal)

Arthur Housman Al, the Drunk (as Arthur Houseman)

Rick Vallin Jack (as Ric Vallon)

Virginia Davis Blondie KK Kathryn Keys Rita (as Kathryn Keyes)

Cyd Charisse Flamenco Dancer (uncredited)

Gay Seabrook Maizie (uncredited)

Scene Gallery

Trailers & Clips

Questions from the Vault

What is Escort Girl about? +

Escort Girl follows nightclub owners who secretly operate escort bureaus, while an undercover agent investigates their operation amid family tensions.

When was Escort Girl released? +

Escort Girl was released in 1941.

Who directed Escort Girl? +

Edward Kaye directed Escort Girl.

How long is Escort Girl? +

Escort Girl has a runtime of 68 minutes.

What genre is Escort Girl? +

Escort Girl is a crime, drama, film-noir, mystery, and romance film.

Where can I watch Escort Girl? +

Escort Girl is available for streaming on SassyFlix.

Themes & Keywords

Independent Film Female Topless Nudity Violence Cigarette Smoking B Movie Low Budget Film Fistfight Investigation Young Jealousy Prostitution Seduction Stripper Gangster Deception Held At Gunpoint