i thought that this was one of the better made for TV offerings in the past. this is something that i would expect to find on Oxygen or Lifetime Network,, Stephanie Zimbalist did a great job,, i haven't seen her in anything,, since Remington Steele, i'm embarrassed to say,, the movie was very well done i thought,, i did think though they could have better explained the whole real estate deal thing,, and show her boss in the movie,, executing one of his "deals". Once she got to prison here is where the movie just takes hold of you, and really does not let you go at all,, all of the stuff those women are forced to endure, the drugs, the rape,, to pay for their crimes to society,, and our main character stands up for what she believes in to save the day for the whole female prison population,, note,, Dan Lauria, plays a very nasty bad guy in this one,, overall a very well made TV movie,, that should NOT be missed by anyone who loves movies.
14 Reviews
I thought I was doing the right thing
sol121819 January 2006
(There are Spoilers) Trying to save her boss money, that she pocketed, in eliminating the middle-man in buying office equipment landed Lynn Schaffer, Stephanie Zimberlist, in a womens correctional facility for a ten year stretch.
Trying to adjust to prison life Lynn soon begins to realize that the prison is not a correction facility but a prostitution ring, used by the prison guards. The guards farm the women prisoners out to local motels as hookers and keep the women in line by getting them , if their not already, hooked on drugs that are supplied to them by the prison guards themselves.
The corrupt guards headed by the smirking and sleazy Sgt. Crang, Dan Lauria, also have their way with the women prisoners at the facility by constantly raping them. In a number of cases getting the women pregnant and having the fetus aborted by giving them drugs that cause a miscarriage to hide the evidence.
Lynn seeing all this and also being a victim of Crang's sick sexual groupings in one case within sight of her husband Larry and 10 year-old daughter Karen, Gary Franks & Stephanie Sawyer, turned her into a curseder for womens rights in prison but at the cost of her as well as little Karen's,who was threatened with death by Sgt. Crang & Co., safety.
Not as brutal and graphic as most "women in prison" movies "Prison of Secrets" has the fact that it's based on a true story that resulted in the shake-up of a womens correctional facility where 20 male guards ended up getting fired and two convicted for sexual abuse of the women prisoners. It wasn't easy for Lynn to get her fellow women prisoners to go along with her in signing affidavits accusing Sgt. Crang of abusing them. Most of the women not wanting to rock the boat and end up in even worse condition that they already were in.
It was Lynn's dogged determination and courage, by putting her health and life on the line, in her fight for them that turned the women around and tuned the tables on Sgt. Crang and his fellow corrupt prison guards in the end. Crang doing all he can to keep Lynn quiet, even threatening to murder her daughter, made her even more determined to get the truth out. With the help of her husband Larry, who's a talk-show host, Lynn made waves as far and as high as to the states woman Senator Green, Anita Finlay,who came to the correction facility with a task force to find out what was happening there and how the prisoners were being treated.
Sgt. Crang pulling out all stops has Lynn thrown into isolation and replaces her with another women prisoner Angie ,Fionla Houghes, who's been turning tricks to impersonate her as a last ditch effort to cover his, and is fellow prison guards, a**es.
All of Crang's efforts fall apart when Lynn escapes from her confinement and together with a handful of affidavit's that she hid in her bunk, from the women who were abused and exploited by him. Lynn gets to Senator Green just before she's ushered out of the prison by a nervous Sgt. Crang and his boss, the simple-minded and totally out of touch top prison administrator, Warden Stewert.
Trying to adjust to prison life Lynn soon begins to realize that the prison is not a correction facility but a prostitution ring, used by the prison guards. The guards farm the women prisoners out to local motels as hookers and keep the women in line by getting them , if their not already, hooked on drugs that are supplied to them by the prison guards themselves.
The corrupt guards headed by the smirking and sleazy Sgt. Crang, Dan Lauria, also have their way with the women prisoners at the facility by constantly raping them. In a number of cases getting the women pregnant and having the fetus aborted by giving them drugs that cause a miscarriage to hide the evidence.
Lynn seeing all this and also being a victim of Crang's sick sexual groupings in one case within sight of her husband Larry and 10 year-old daughter Karen, Gary Franks & Stephanie Sawyer, turned her into a curseder for womens rights in prison but at the cost of her as well as little Karen's,who was threatened with death by Sgt. Crang & Co., safety.
Not as brutal and graphic as most "women in prison" movies "Prison of Secrets" has the fact that it's based on a true story that resulted in the shake-up of a womens correctional facility where 20 male guards ended up getting fired and two convicted for sexual abuse of the women prisoners. It wasn't easy for Lynn to get her fellow women prisoners to go along with her in signing affidavits accusing Sgt. Crang of abusing them. Most of the women not wanting to rock the boat and end up in even worse condition that they already were in.
It was Lynn's dogged determination and courage, by putting her health and life on the line, in her fight for them that turned the women around and tuned the tables on Sgt. Crang and his fellow corrupt prison guards in the end. Crang doing all he can to keep Lynn quiet, even threatening to murder her daughter, made her even more determined to get the truth out. With the help of her husband Larry, who's a talk-show host, Lynn made waves as far and as high as to the states woman Senator Green, Anita Finlay,who came to the correction facility with a task force to find out what was happening there and how the prisoners were being treated.
Sgt. Crang pulling out all stops has Lynn thrown into isolation and replaces her with another women prisoner Angie ,Fionla Houghes, who's been turning tricks to impersonate her as a last ditch effort to cover his, and is fellow prison guards, a**es.
All of Crang's efforts fall apart when Lynn escapes from her confinement and together with a handful of affidavit's that she hid in her bunk, from the women who were abused and exploited by him. Lynn gets to Senator Green just before she's ushered out of the prison by a nervous Sgt. Crang and his boss, the simple-minded and totally out of touch top prison administrator, Warden Stewert.
Based on a True Story
ReelProjectionist6 November 2006
Director: Fred Gerber Year film was made: 1997 Genre: Drama Stars: Stephanie Zimbalist, Finola Hughes
Typical made for TV movie. It's a fun to watch, with "b" rated acting. I have to agree with the other viewer comment, that the main character gets what she deserved. You can't expect to steal money and get away with it - justice was served. Although I thought a 10 year sentence was excessive for a first offense, especially when she had to return the money. Also, most employers wouldn't have pursed charges for fear of negative publicity - although with a private company I guess it's more likely to pursue the charges. Where I work if you help your company save money then it's reflected in your bonus, I suspect that's the way it is most other work environments.
Here's the summary from Lifetime TV:
This is the nightmarish true story of a middle-class wife and mother who is found guilty of a white-collar crime and finds herself serving a prison sentence. While incarcerated, she witnesses the assaults of female prisoners by male guards and uncovers a prison prostitution ring. Outraged, she clandestinely informs her husband, a popular local-radio talk-show host, risking her life and her family's safety to successfully expose this injustice. Ultimately, 22 guards were fired or replaced by women.
Typical made for TV movie. It's a fun to watch, with "b" rated acting. I have to agree with the other viewer comment, that the main character gets what she deserved. You can't expect to steal money and get away with it - justice was served. Although I thought a 10 year sentence was excessive for a first offense, especially when she had to return the money. Also, most employers wouldn't have pursed charges for fear of negative publicity - although with a private company I guess it's more likely to pursue the charges. Where I work if you help your company save money then it's reflected in your bonus, I suspect that's the way it is most other work environments.
Here's the summary from Lifetime TV:
This is the nightmarish true story of a middle-class wife and mother who is found guilty of a white-collar crime and finds herself serving a prison sentence. While incarcerated, she witnesses the assaults of female prisoners by male guards and uncovers a prison prostitution ring. Outraged, she clandestinely informs her husband, a popular local-radio talk-show host, risking her life and her family's safety to successfully expose this injustice. Ultimately, 22 guards were fired or replaced by women.
Breath Takingly Stupid
i_ate_your_tots21 April 2001
This movie was total cheese. It STANK!! I think the ONLY thing I enjoyed was watching Finola Hughs' wonderful performance. But she is the only reason I would ever recommend this movie. Was if you were a Fin Fan. This movies plot was so misguided rediculous, it was embarrassing. They could have made this movie SO good considering the concept is believeable, but they turned a serious situation into total rubbish. My rating: 1 out of 10.
A penal drama, worth more than t.v. movie status
videorama-759-8593913 July 2014
Based on a true story, Prison Of Secrets, exposes a shocking truth within the penal system, where this one woman (Zimbalist, who okay made a mistake) a new fish, bravely went up against some of the corrupt prison wardens, who were sneaking young women out at night, some really young one, for prostitution, or having their own way with them. One of the corrupt wardens happens to be Dan Lauria (Kevin Arnold's father in The Wonder Years). Gary Frank, an actor I like from an old show called Family plays Zimbalist's husband, who sides with her, him too being warned off It's great to scum like this dealt with, and I must say there was some dramatically powerful/unnerving moments by these warden pigs. I like too Zimbalist's outcome, for coming forward, where she spent the remaining sentence under house arrest. POL is worth a view, even if you aren't a t.v movie fan, where there are better t.v. movies on the shelf, but for one of this ilk, it's pretty bloody good.
Watered down TV version of typical women's prison movie
ronaldb81791 May 2001
I had the tube flipped on when this one came on a local station on Saturday afternoon. Should have known that it would be a flop to be running in a graveyard time spot like that. Since I was tired out from Friday night, I sat back and took it.
I'm sorry to see a promising actress like Stephanie Zimbalist doing crap like this. Women's prison movies are often the bottom of a career, as shown by Linda Blair (Chained Heat) and more recently by Catherine Oxenberg (Time Served).
Most flicks in this genre generate sympathy for the main character, but not so here. In this one I felt no sympathy for Zimbalist's vain character who believed that no jury would say that she did wrong by her misuse of her company's money. If she was stupid enough to believe that a turn down the virtual slap on the wrist deal she was offered, then IMHO she deserved to get sent up the river and have Big Bertha breathing down her back. I expected to see some scenes where the typical down and dirty women cons told her to stop her high and mighty act as "rich bitch" or "white collar criminal." Ashley Judd got that "rich bitch" lecture in the first prison scene of Double Jeopardy.
This movie degenerated into a suitable for TV version of the typical "babes behind bars" fare, with shoulder level shower scenes, before and after sex scenes, and the poorly delivered riot scene. The ending, though typical of this genre, did not deliver due to the lack of sympathy for the main character, even after she had taken her lumps and exposed all the corruption.
I do hope Stephanie Zimbalist can put her career back on track after this dud.
I'm sorry to see a promising actress like Stephanie Zimbalist doing crap like this. Women's prison movies are often the bottom of a career, as shown by Linda Blair (Chained Heat) and more recently by Catherine Oxenberg (Time Served).
Most flicks in this genre generate sympathy for the main character, but not so here. In this one I felt no sympathy for Zimbalist's vain character who believed that no jury would say that she did wrong by her misuse of her company's money. If she was stupid enough to believe that a turn down the virtual slap on the wrist deal she was offered, then IMHO she deserved to get sent up the river and have Big Bertha breathing down her back. I expected to see some scenes where the typical down and dirty women cons told her to stop her high and mighty act as "rich bitch" or "white collar criminal." Ashley Judd got that "rich bitch" lecture in the first prison scene of Double Jeopardy.
This movie degenerated into a suitable for TV version of the typical "babes behind bars" fare, with shoulder level shower scenes, before and after sex scenes, and the poorly delivered riot scene. The ending, though typical of this genre, did not deliver due to the lack of sympathy for the main character, even after she had taken her lumps and exposed all the corruption.
I do hope Stephanie Zimbalist can put her career back on track after this dud.
Excellent Movie!
BreanneB12 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I thought this movie was excellent. The following things were great, acting, script, directing, production, music and storyline. Stephanie Zimbalist, was great in this one.
Big spoilers coming up! This true story of a mother, Lynn Sachfer (Stephanie Zimbalist) who unknowingly breaks the law by committing racketeering when she starts her own management company. She is found guilty and eventually sentenced to 10 years in the brutal maximum security Delory Women's Correctional Facility. While incarcerated she discovers that most of the guards are just as bad as the inmates and that very little effort is being made to correct the inmates. Most of the guards, except for Shelia and a few others are sick perverts who not only stare and spy on the women when their showering, changing and being searched, but also commit others sick and inappropriate acts. These include, rape, sodomy, abuse, prostitution rings and special privileges and gifts in exchange for sexual favors.
Above all though, this was a great movie. Kudos to the cast, crew and filmmakers. Two Thumbs Way Up!
Big spoilers coming up! This true story of a mother, Lynn Sachfer (Stephanie Zimbalist) who unknowingly breaks the law by committing racketeering when she starts her own management company. She is found guilty and eventually sentenced to 10 years in the brutal maximum security Delory Women's Correctional Facility. While incarcerated she discovers that most of the guards are just as bad as the inmates and that very little effort is being made to correct the inmates. Most of the guards, except for Shelia and a few others are sick perverts who not only stare and spy on the women when their showering, changing and being searched, but also commit others sick and inappropriate acts. These include, rape, sodomy, abuse, prostitution rings and special privileges and gifts in exchange for sexual favors.
Above all though, this was a great movie. Kudos to the cast, crew and filmmakers. Two Thumbs Way Up!
A cautionary tale, badly acted, written and directed.
trex13227 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
A selfish, stupid woman engages in white collar crime, and goes to prison for her misdeed. I say stupid, because she could have paid a modest fine and gotten away with her crime, but chose instead to gamble with her and her family's future by trusting her lot to a jury of her peers. They judged her as harshly as I did.
Once in prison, she is exposed to life's realities, possibly for the first time in her wretched existence. Seeing various and sundry sordid occurrences beyond her middle class ken, she decides to meddle in the affairs of others (possibly motivated by petty jealousy, since she seems to be the only one not getting any drugs or sex from the handsome male prison guards).
To make a long story short, her rabble rousing is eventually heard in Washingtonm D.C., a senator takes more than a passing interest in her, and her sentence is commuted to a home curfew. I guess the moral of the story is white collar criminals are better suited to country club prisons.
If you have nothing whatsoever to do, your DVD player is broken, and you don't feel like cleaning the oven, this movie might possibly entertain. Otherwise avoid at all costs.
Once in prison, she is exposed to life's realities, possibly for the first time in her wretched existence. Seeing various and sundry sordid occurrences beyond her middle class ken, she decides to meddle in the affairs of others (possibly motivated by petty jealousy, since she seems to be the only one not getting any drugs or sex from the handsome male prison guards).
To make a long story short, her rabble rousing is eventually heard in Washingtonm D.C., a senator takes more than a passing interest in her, and her sentence is commuted to a home curfew. I guess the moral of the story is white collar criminals are better suited to country club prisons.
If you have nothing whatsoever to do, your DVD player is broken, and you don't feel like cleaning the oven, this movie might possibly entertain. Otherwise avoid at all costs.
This happens to be one of my favorite movies.
Turquaduck29 December 2004
This movie was based on a true story, so it was supposed to be rather accurate. However, I realize that some details were probably jazzed up a little bit. This movie revealed some of the terrible things that can and DO happen in places that are supposedly secure and trustworthy. It just goes to show that some people are less honest and sometimes dangerous. I thought the female guard, Sheila, had a lot of charisma. She really risked a lot to help Lynn, but in the end she helped to stop one of the worst criminal circumstances in our nation. I liked how Lynn took it upon herself to help others inside the female prison, or at least tried to help. It shows that she really cared about the safety of these women and that is saying something for her.
Shocking
SusieSalmonLikeTheFish24 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Often these made-for-TV movies are just unmemorable ways to pass the time, but Prison of Secrets is a whole separate case. It has its melodrama but it's still a shocking, disturbing and compelling true story that has a powerful message against sexism, abuse and the law.
Stephanie Zimbalist (who played Joanna Redwine in the 1980 film The Babysitter) plays the role of Lynn, who makes a simple careless action and ends up in a women's correctional facility for ten years. The women there initially seem to despise her, but soon come to respect her as a brave, caring and strong person when she stands up for their rights as human beings after discovering the sexual abuse being enforced by the prison guards, mainly Sergeant Ed Crang, a nasty fat guy who enjoys doing favors for the women in exchange for being his "special friends". When a woman gets hired as a new guard at the facility, she notices how unfair the treatment of the prisoners is and offers to help.
This move has been dramatized, but it is a true story. In fact, it's very common in prisons for there to be sexual abuse, blackmail, covered up pregnancies, rapes, sexism, secret relationships between inmates and other similar things to happen, but a lot has changed since this movie.
The only thing I didn't like about this movie is that it was implied that men shouldn't be allowed to be guards at women's prisons because they will abuse women there. While this has happened, I'm sure there are many male police officers who would never even think about doing such a horrible thing, this movie made it seem as if all male cops are pigs and sex maniacs behind closed doors.
Prison of Secrets for the most part is an excellent movie that has good soundtrack, acting and a powerful story. There have been other movies similar to it but this one is one of the more realistic ones out there. I highly recommend it, especially if you're into feminism or human rights.
Stephanie Zimbalist (who played Joanna Redwine in the 1980 film The Babysitter) plays the role of Lynn, who makes a simple careless action and ends up in a women's correctional facility for ten years. The women there initially seem to despise her, but soon come to respect her as a brave, caring and strong person when she stands up for their rights as human beings after discovering the sexual abuse being enforced by the prison guards, mainly Sergeant Ed Crang, a nasty fat guy who enjoys doing favors for the women in exchange for being his "special friends". When a woman gets hired as a new guard at the facility, she notices how unfair the treatment of the prisoners is and offers to help.
This move has been dramatized, but it is a true story. In fact, it's very common in prisons for there to be sexual abuse, blackmail, covered up pregnancies, rapes, sexism, secret relationships between inmates and other similar things to happen, but a lot has changed since this movie.
The only thing I didn't like about this movie is that it was implied that men shouldn't be allowed to be guards at women's prisons because they will abuse women there. While this has happened, I'm sure there are many male police officers who would never even think about doing such a horrible thing, this movie made it seem as if all male cops are pigs and sex maniacs behind closed doors.
Prison of Secrets for the most part is an excellent movie that has good soundtrack, acting and a powerful story. There have been other movies similar to it but this one is one of the more realistic ones out there. I highly recommend it, especially if you're into feminism or human rights.
Brilliant
killoa200219 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Drugs, Prostitution, rape. This is not her crime, this is her punishment. This is one of the rare TV movies that is enjoyable. Based upon true events, Lynn starts up her own company to raise some money for both her and her boss. Her boss thinks this is criminal, and has her arrested. She is sentenced to the maximum for the crime. What she witnesses in prison will shock you. Drugs, prostitution and murder, these are her punishments. She witnesses as her friends are forced into prostitution by the prison wardens. She quickly makes it known what is going on in the prison.Finola Hughes gives a breathtaking performance, as does Stephanie Zimbalist. Well worth a watch.Good for a night in.
Some movies are worth making
johnphilip-376-8302211 October 2019
Seen quite a few TV movies and on average they often seem so much more worthwhile than those on general release. Why? Well a film like this isn't likely to be a cash cow no matter how much you throw at it, hence it's unworthy of Hollywood big bucks. One reviewer here saw it as a typical women's prison flick. I rest my case. But somebody cared enough about the storyline to produce it with a modest budget, presumably hoping only for equally modest returns. These are the guys I admire, as I do the characters in the film. Absolutely believable, I've heard sufficient of these horror stories to know they happen. Maybe we don't hear more of them because of a dearth of courageous characters like the one portrayed here that expose them. God help us - abuse and exploition such as this and in other forms are going on all around us. Stephanie Zimbalist was perfectly cast as the woman who kept her integrity intact. Stephanie Sawyer as her little daughter was amazing. In fact excellent turns were put in by all the cast here. I said this movie was believable throughout, and only in the final few moments of the dramatic climax does reality kick in and you realise it's a dramatised version of a true story you're seeing. But I'm still going to give it 10 stars because some movies are worth making. This is one of them.
A TV Movie with great promise
r_steele828728 April 2001
Although the movie could've been written better it does have great promise. The story line is definitely believeable, but it wasn't written as a very serious matter, IMO. It seemed that the characters could've been better written. The title does fit the movie well, but that's about it. I would recommend this movie to any Stephanie Zimbalist, (former Laura Holt of Remington Steele), or anyone that likes rap related movies. Other than that, I wouldn't recommend it, unless you enjoy passable tv movies. If I weren't such a big Stephanie Zimbalist fan this would've been one movie I would've passed up. Stephanie, IMO, gives a great performance and that performance is what makes this movie passable, otherwise it wouldn't be fit for viewing.
Not half bad tale of courage
Richard_vmt23 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Although it is very much a made for TV drama it hits the spot in several ways. True to the genre scant detail is lavished on fleshing out the character of the family which is given as average & normal. The Mother gets imprisoned for embezzlement. She thought it was just creative finance. She can't be a criminal!
Inside the womens prison, conditions call for a clean-up both as a civic project and her own self-protection. "This place is Hell."
Stephanie Zimbbalist is a nice face to watch and so the story goes down smoothly. The prison guards (I didn't even know there were male guards in female prisons) are chronically brutal in all the classical ways. You know: "One hand washes the other?" Rape, even murder if need be--all the traits of the inferior man. So not too much to think about in that department. There are plenty of confrontations and cliff-hangers.
One particular inmate adds a remarkable character portrayal to the film and that is Finona. Initially this William Bendix-like brute of a woman simply takes whatever is yours and at the slightest objection slams her fist into your face. However, circumstances favor an alliance and throughout the film the camera discovers the better side and the true beauty in this stout woman. She, like the other women inmates is not Gay, at least not obsessively so. I am thinking the plot was pretty lucky on that point. But perhaps true that they could all be appealed to as women, although spine was not easy to find among any of them.
When lady Senator Green tours the facility, an unfunny Jewish woman in a power suit the corruption of the place is blown wide. open.
Inside the womens prison, conditions call for a clean-up both as a civic project and her own self-protection. "This place is Hell."
Stephanie Zimbbalist is a nice face to watch and so the story goes down smoothly. The prison guards (I didn't even know there were male guards in female prisons) are chronically brutal in all the classical ways. You know: "One hand washes the other?" Rape, even murder if need be--all the traits of the inferior man. So not too much to think about in that department. There are plenty of confrontations and cliff-hangers.
One particular inmate adds a remarkable character portrayal to the film and that is Finona. Initially this William Bendix-like brute of a woman simply takes whatever is yours and at the slightest objection slams her fist into your face. However, circumstances favor an alliance and throughout the film the camera discovers the better side and the true beauty in this stout woman. She, like the other women inmates is not Gay, at least not obsessively so. I am thinking the plot was pretty lucky on that point. But perhaps true that they could all be appealed to as women, although spine was not easy to find among any of them.
When lady Senator Green tours the facility, an unfunny Jewish woman in a power suit the corruption of the place is blown wide. open.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
