ESCORT GIRL

ESCORT GIRL (1941). Director: Edward E. Kaye.

"He's going to try to find out if the escort business is, well, flexible."

Ruth Ashley (Betty Compson) is co-owner with Gregory Stone (Wheeler Oakman) of a clip joint named the Club Martinique and a highly successful "escort" business. Ruth is horrified at the thought that her daughter, June (Margaret Marquis), coming home from school with a fiance, might find out where her mother's considerable assets are coming from. To make matters worse, June's fiance, Drake Hamilton (Robert Kellard of King of the Royal Mounted), works for the district attorney's office. His latest assignment -- wouldn't you know? -- is to find out who the true head is of the same escort service that his future mother-in-law owns. Obviously, things don't go well for this family, with Drake eventually coming to believe that June herself is an "escort." This is a fairly frank 1940's exploitation item in which the word "prostitution" is never used. but little secret is made of what's going on with these sexy escort girls. In one scene a woman practically attacks her client on a bed, and in another eyebrow-raising moment a woman does a provocative dance number. Drake Hamilton acts like no assistant district attorney would ever act, going out and doing his own investigation and roughing up people he talks to. The acting in this is not bad; Rick Vallin [Nearly Eighteen] plays a gigolo who also works for the escort service. One thing the movie does not go into is men hiring men. This was Kaye's only directorial credit.

Verdict: Effective exploitation but nothing to miss I Love Lucy for. **1/2.