Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Kitten with a Whip (1964)

A rather grubby little tale involving an aspiring politician and a delinquent girl.

Patton (John Forsythe) arrives home after a hard night's political wheeling and dealing is blissfully unaware that there is a runaway young girl asleep in his daughter's bed! The next morning Patton discovers Jody (Ann-Margret) and assumes she is a plant to cause a political scandal. However, he believes her when she tells him she escaped a broken home and desperately needed somewhere to stay. He buys her some new clothes and, after much stalling, sends her on her way.

Unfortunately, Jody's story wasn't quite true. She was indeed on the run, for stabbing a matron at reform school! She brings some fellow delinquents to Patton's home to take him hostage and involve him in a highly violent and dangerous adventure...

A fine enough film, quite dark and with a sinister air at times. Patton's naivety was essential for the plot but can be a bit annoying at times but Jody's mental instability is certainly compelling.