Jail Bait

2191. JAIL BAIT (19S4-USA). With LYLE TALBOT, DOLORES FULLER, STEVE REEVES. Directed, proÂduced and co-written by EDWARD D. WOOD JR. The title of this cornball gem from celebrated all- time-worst-director Ed Wood refers not to seductive underage girls but to carrying a gun: an act guarÂanteed to cause a guy a lot of trouble. That guy is young Don Gregor, son of world-famous plastic surgeon Dr. Boris Gregor. Don is a misguided juvenile delinquent-type who has befriended a brutal small-time hood with an itchy trigger finger named Vic Brady. Together they have been committing petty crimes. One of these is a robbery which ends in murder, lust about everything on screen is all wrong, which is what makes the film so likable. The soundtrack is filled with classical Spanish guiÂtar music which has nothing whatsoever to do with anything on screen. Much of the dialogue is downright loopy; as Dr. Gregor notes at one point, “This afternoon we had a long conversation earÂlier in the day!” The two cops on the case are played by one of the more peculiar pairings in movie history: Hercules-to-be Steve Reeves and veteran character actor Lyle Talbot. Talbot in fact is the only person on screen who knows how to act, and he is no Laurence Olivier. Then again compared to the other players Talbot IS Laurence Olivier. 72 minutes. Crime-Mystery-Suspense