Patty (1962) User Reviews

Pretty hard-hitting stuff for 1962...and it will really challenge many viewers.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 21 February 2017]

"The Shame of Patty Smith" has an alternate title, "Patty". I much prefer the second title because the film is not titillating and there should have been no shame for Patty as the girl was wronged and was very desperate as a result. I assume they chose to try out the more salacious title in order to get more folks to come to the theaters to see it...which is really a shame because the film is talking about some very, very important moral and legal matters.

When the film begins, Patty and her boyfriend are out for a drive. Some punks run through a stop sign and hit them. No serious damage done but the punks make it very clear that they're paying for nothing! After the pair leave, they assume everything is fine...not realizing the punks are a lot more dangerous than they thought. They track down Patty and her boyfriend and rape her! If this isn't bad enough, she soon learns that she's pregnant!! More unfortunate still, abortion laws at the time only allowed for the procedure to be done if the mother's life is at risk. So what is she to do?!

Despite a low budget and mostly no-name actors, this film is very well and sensitively made. It also talks about abortion and although this is naturally controversial, it is nice to see a movie addressing it in such an extraordinary circumstance. It does take a decidedly pro-abortion stance towards the end of the film...and I am sure it offended many back in the day and would do so today. The bottom line is that the film gets you to think and wonder what you might do if you're stuck in this sort of situation.

Very gutsy film for its time

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 9 July 2015]

Sweet young lass Patty Smith (a strong and sympathetic performance by the fetching Dani Lynn) moves from her native Kansas to Los Angeles, California, Everything is going smoothly for Patty until one fateful night in which she gets raped on the beach by a trio of thugs. After her doctor informs her that she's pregnant, Patty decides to get an abortion. But since abortions are illegal, Patty must resort to drastic illicit measures in order to obtain one.

Writer/director Leo A. Handel relates the engrossing story at a steady pace, maintains a grim'n'gritty tone throughout (the sequence at the low-rent back alley abortion clinic run by a shady husband and wife is genuinely harrowing), makes good use of some sordid urban locations, handles the potentially lurid and exploitative premise with laudable taste and sensitivity, and offers a fascinating depiction at the limited options available to women in the early 1960's. The sound acting from the capable cast helps a whole lot, with especially stand-out work from Merry Anders as loyal gal pal Mary, J. Edward McKinley as the kindly Dr. Miller, Joe Conley as scuzzy pick-up guy Johnny, David McMahon as the strict, but compassionate Father O'Brien, and Bruno Ve Sota as seedy bar owner Colbert. Kudos are also in order for Howard Schwartz's sharp black and white cinematography and the dramatic jazzy score by Ingram P. Walters. The downbeat ending packs a devastating punch. Well worth a watch.

A depressing story that had to be told.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 6 January 2021]

There's no skimping on the horrors that Dani Lynn goes through after being brutally gang raped in one of the most shocking scenes filmed up to this time. Her screams go unanswered as she is violated, and unfortunately, this is not a film about retribution but how she has to deal with the aftermath of the crime that society viewed her as responsible for. Talking to her own doctor, a priest and a high priced abortion specialist leads her to a man in a dive bar who can set up the illegal procedure for the low sum of $190. Her shame which had her as the victim has a grave impact on her life so be prepared to be completely horrified by the aftermath of the sickening twists.

Blonde bombshell Merry Anders is the epitome of support as her roommate, obviously hardened by life but still decent in spite of everything she's been through. She kids around that one day she might need to have the same procedure herself. The steps to the actual procedure (truly back alley) are revolting and obviously call for reform for girls like Lynn who became pregnant through no fault of their own.

The narration truly exposes the exploitation elements of the film and calls out a warning to society as to why ancient methods of terminating pregnancies must end. As dark and depressing and serious this film is, I really felt sorry for Patty and cringed a couple of times, shaking my head at the unfeeling methods of cold hearted nurse Mary Patton and the so-called physician husband of hers who looked like a horror movie monster.

Hard Hitting Drama About Abortion

[mack-29 · 9/10 · 19 August 2007]

Tho this DVD is marketed as a cheap exploitation film, Shame of Patty Smith is no such movie. If you are looking for some laughs, ala Ed Wood, you won't find them here.

This is a very well made drama concerning the problem of illegal abortions in this country in the early 60s. Patty is a young woman who is attacked and raped by a gang of thugs and must struggle with the problem of getting an abortion at a time when it was illegal.

She can't afford to go to a professional and so ends up in the hands of a back alley abortionist who is not qualified for the job.

Generally this film takes the position that abortions, in certain situations, should be made legal to prevent women from being forced to go to fly by night abortionists. But the message is low key, for the most part, and is not preachy. There is an element of religion in the film, but once again, it is not heavy handed. It's a very serious drama about a young woman who needs help, but the laws of the time give her little or no choice but to put her life in the hands of a quack.

It is a very well made film with excellent acting and photography.

There are no laughs to be found in this film.

Extremely Well-Made Drama

[Michael_Elliott · 26 January 2018]

The Shame of Patty Smith (1962)

*** (out of 4)

Patty Smith (Dani Lynn) is out on a date with her boyfriend when they're in an automobile wreck with three hoods. Patty and her boyfriend head to the beach afterwards but there they are attacked by the men. Patty is raped and six weeks later she learns that she's pregnant. Not wanting a child through rape she seeks out an abortion but all the real doctors turn her down due to the laws. This forces her into the backstreets.

THE SHAME OF PATTY SMITH is without question one of the most shocking movies I've ever seen. I say that because the film has been sold as some sort of exploitation movie but it's certainly not that. Some might see that the movie was released to DVD by Something Weird Video and they'll think that it's some sort of trashy movie but that's not the case either. I was really shocked at how well-made this movie was and there's no question that its subject matter is handled very seriously.

What's so amazing about this movie is the fact that producer-writer-director Leo A. Handel treated the subject matter so seriously and managed to turn in a really dramatic movie. Looking at his credits, this here was his only job as director and he only produced one other movie. I was really amazed at how well-made the picture was at it looks very professional and there's not a single frame where it shows its low-budget. What's even more shocking is that there aren't any unintentional laughs, which usually happens with these types of movies.

The film works so well because the character of Patty is written to where she really does seem like a girl that any viewer will know. She's a likeable character and you can't help but feel bad for her situation and you also understand why she's doing what she is. It makes you ask questions about abortion laws and various moral questions that go with the subject. The performances are good for the most part and this includes Lynn in the title role. I thought she was quite believable in the part and manages to really make you feel for the character.

There are certainly some minor flaws throughout the film but there's no doubt that this film is pretty hard-hitting and especially when you consider when it was made. THE SHAME OF PATTY SMITH is an extremely good drama that works on all levels.