TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Dalbert Pringle Yes. 1954's "Jail Bait" (with its cardboard sets, its poverty-row production values, its cheap atmosphere, etc., etc.) is a perfect example of cinematic ineptitude like no other - But, hey, that's because it's an Ed Wood picture (which, pretty much, explains everything). And being an Ed Wood production, I don't think that it could (or should) be any other way.Apparently inspired by the TV show "Dragnet", within the first 10 minutes of Jail Bait's dry and clumsy story of murder, robbery and plastic surgery miracles, you'll be glad to know that this film's running time is only a mere 70 minutes. So having to endure the unbearable is over soon enough.One notable detail about Jail Bait is that it co-starred the 28-year-old "Mr. Universe", bodybuilder Steve Reeves, as Lt. Bob Lawrence, in one of his first screen-roles. 4 years later Reeves would go on to star as Hercules and instantly become one of filmdom's most famous bronzed gods.All-in-all - Regardless of this film's low, 3-star rating (which is all it deserves), I still think it's worth a view purely from a nostalgic standpoint.

tnrcooper This is, like all Ed Wood movies, wonderfully enjoyable. Quality? If you're watching Ed Wood for quality, well, you must not have heard. Having said that, I thought the plotting in this film is better than his other movies. I have to admit I saw the end coming but even still, I thought it was pretty good plotting except for the fact that the surgeon would have tipped off the cops that his son was being held, rather than waiting two weeks. The acting is hilariously wonderful. The line readings are excellent if one couldn't read and one was 15. The doctor who reports to the cops about the condition of the bookkeeper sounds as interested as if he was talking about lint on his jacket. The disengagement of Loretta and Marilyn when they are talking about Marilyn's difficult relationship with Vic (Tim Farrell) is hysterical. The lack of passion when the cops and the crooks meet in the bar is hilarious. Vic's threatening comments made to Marilyn delivered as if he was trying to decide what to get at the grocery store are hilarious. Obviously all this misses the point. This is an Ed Wood movie and clearly the man wanted to make movies. Quality and wisdom were no barriers. That said, there are some good things, about the movie. The plot, I thought, was quite imaginative. I've read that some people didn't like the music but I thought it contributed to the suspenseful aura. The acting from Herbert Rawlinson was good and Dolores Fuller was OK. Again though, I didn't expect to see a master class on film. Ed Wood had an undeniable passion for making movies and I can - and do - appreciate that. Many directors and actors are only in it for the paycheck and that clearly wasn't the case for Wood. Seeing people do something that they surely weren't paid much for work again and again with Wood makes him a very intriguing, and quite honestly, admirable character and one can tolerate his technical shortcomings in light of his passion.

icaredor If you've ever wanted to discover why Ed Wood is notorious, this isn't the best film to begin with. Certainly, it is a good example of bad film making, not, though, one of Wood's masterpieces – no rubber monsters, no hubcap spaceships. This is a piece of Wood Realism, much like Sinister Urge.The plot is coherent though the script poor. Dr. Gregor lives in Southern California and is a 'world famous' plastic surgeon. Such a pursuit must have been far less lucrative in the fifties because he lives in a very modest suburban rancher with his two children, Marylin and Don, who both look well into their thirties. Although the good doctor would buy them anything they wanted – by taking out a second mortgage, perhaps – Don opts for a life of crime with thoroughly bad sort Vic Brady. Needless to say, difficulties arise and the doctor must employ his plastic surgery skills. How different the story might have been if Ed had written Gregor as a proctologist.All of this is badly acted out by a group of Wood regulars, such as Dolores Fuller and Don Nagel, enhanced by a few interesting additions. Old movie hand, Herbert Rawlinson, plays Gregor, his last role before dying of lung cancer, and he clearly gasps for air to get out his lines. Steve 'Hercules' Reeves has his first speaking role, yet not to waste him Ed has him take off his shirt – one for the ladies and the discerning gentlemen. Brady is played by dependable D-grade movie sleaze, and frequent Woodworker, Tim Farrell.If you are familiar with Ed's oeuvre or simply like bad films, Jail Bait is great. For a grasp of Ed's magnificence try Plan Nine or Night of the Ghouls first.Oh, and if you've ever wanted to discover how on earth Minstrel Shows fell out of popularity, watch the comic stylings of Cotton Watts and Chick, included in this film for no particular reason, and that should sate your curiosity. The most horrible thing I've seen in an Ed Wood film, which is really saying something.

Cyrus Cousins This film occupies the difficult middle ground between the "Ed Wood" style of film making and just mediocre film making. It's definitely his best work (although that's not saying much). There's a coherent, if simple, plot, and Wood even goes in for a (predictable) twist ending. The acting is what you would expect from an Ed Wood movie, the music is stock (and terrible and repetitive), and the direction is poor, however it's the plot of this movie that sets it apart from his other films. This plot is coherent, and actually makes sense. Unfortunately, this is not quite enough to save this film. In the end, this films quality proved its undoing: it's not good enough to enjoy for its own merit, but it's not really bad enough to laugh at either. However, anyone with any interest in Ed Wood should watch it, just to see what he is capable of.