The Weak and the Wicked 1954

Jean Raymond is a young woman from a wealthy family who falls into compulsive gambling despite the objections of her medical student boyfriend, Michael Hale. Once he qualifies as a doctor, he gives her an ultimatum: quit gambling or lose him. Jean continues gambling, and Michael ends their relationship.

Jean’s debts accumulate at an illegal gambling club run by Seymour. When she refuses to leave her father’s cigarette case as collateral, Seymour warns of “alternative collection methods.” Without income or employment, Jean accepts work at a Knightsbridge dress shop offered by her friend Pam Vickers.

Pam secretly works for Seymour. During dinner, Pam steals Jean’s cigarette case while Jean takes a phone call. Pam pawns the case and plants the pawn ticket in Jean’s flat. When Jean files an insurance claim for the “lost” case, she is arrested and convicted of fraud, receiving a twelve-month prison sentence.

At Blackdown Prison, Jean meets an assortment of inmates: Betty Brown, imprisoned for protecting her boyfriend from criminal charges; Nellie Baden, a repeat shoplifter from a criminal family; and Babs Peters, whose child died due to neglect. Pat Anderson is also mentioned as a pregnant inmate.

Michael visits Jean in prison but accepts a three-year medical post in Northern Rhodesia. Jean encourages him to go, believing her record will make him unsuitable as a partner. He leaves for Africa, and Jean serves the remainder of her sentence.

Jean is transferred to the Grange, an experimental open prison designed to promote rehabilitation through trust. There she is reunited with Betty Brown, who is distraught over Norman’s abandonment. During a supervised outing, Betty attempts to escape to find Norman but returns voluntarily. Both women face disciplinary action for the incident, the first escape attempt in the prison’s history.

After Jean’s release, Michael returns from Africa, having resigned his position, and the couple reunites.