The Wayward Girl

Since the death of her father, dutiful Judy Wingate has felt obligated to support her stepmother Frances by working as a cafe waitress, even though Judy's sweetheart, Tommy Gray, and her fellow waitress and friend, Molly, have urged her not to let the lazy and alcoholic Frances take advantage. Because she has promised to help Frances do the washing that night, Judy declines a date with Tommy, an upstanding young man who has been studying physics in night school to improve his job prospects. However, when she gets home, she learns that Frances has decided instead to go out with her boyfriend, minor racketeer Eddie Nolan, who has just offered to marry her. Judy is disturbed by the news, as Nolan makes her uncomfortable, and she envisions a life supporting them both. Although Judy then goes out with Tommy, she remains distracted all evening. After she returns home, Nolan tries to molest her, claiming that the only reason he is with Frances is to be near Judy. To stop Nolan's unwanted advances, Judy throws an iron that hits him in the head, thus allowing her to escape. Frances, who had been passed out drunk in Nolan's car, enters the house just in time to hear Nolan's rejection of her. After Judy leaves, Frances repeatedly hits Nolan on the head with the iron until he is dead. Later, Frances refuses to speak up in Judy's defense and Judy, believing that she killed Nolan, is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years in prison. One of Judy's roommates in her dormitory cell, ax-murderess Big Hilda Carlson, tells her that they are in the "elite" section of the prison, comprised of those who barely missed getting the death sentence. Although Judy is a model prisoner, she has nightmares and her days are lightened only by Tommy's faithful visits and her fellow prisoner, Dot Martin, who she believes is a friend. When Tommy discovers that Frances has disappeared after selling the house, furniture and Judy's belongings, he is able to buy back Judy's phonograph and the two records she owned. Later, upon learning that Frances is gone, Judy becomes despondent, as she had hoped her stepmother would serve as a sponsor for her upcoming parole. Seeing her cry, Dot offers to ask her friend, Midge Brackett, who runs a "social club" to sponsor Judy. Midge arranges for Judy to work for lonely hog farmer, lecherous Ira Molson, who is actually paying Midge for Judy's "matrimonial" services. To circumvent the regulations of the overworked parole office and Judy's suspicions, Midge poses as Ira's sister. Unaware of the true plans for her, Judy is ecstatic and grateful, but Hilda, who is aware of Midge's parole racket, confronts Dot about her deception after which the two fight. Hilda afterward warns the bewildered Judy that Dot is not a friend, but she refuses to say anything more, explaining that "squealers get knives in their back." At the farm, Judy is a hard worker, but Ira is dissatisfied that she does not pay attention to him. When Tommy comes to visit, Midge tells him that Judy is breaking her parole if she associates with people from her former life and that they cannot see each other. However, Judy and Tommy meet secretly one last time that evening and Tommy tells Judy that he has tracked down Frances to a skid row boardinghouse. Hoping to lift her spirits, Tommy takes her to his motel to give her the phonograph and records. Meanwhile, Ira phones the sheriff and a "PVAL," or Parole Violator at Large alert, is dispatched. The kindly sheriff tracks Judy to the motel and accepts their explanation, but warns Tommy not to get her in trouble again. Later that night at the farm, Ira tries to force himself on Judy, claiming that he paid $3,000 for her, out of which Dot received $1,000. After evading Ira by throwing something at him, Judy escapes to the motel. There, she tells Tommy that, after reliving the situation with Ira, she now realizes that she did not kill Nolan, as both men were alive when she left them. When Tommy points out that Nolan was struck repeatedly on the head, Judy says she only hit him with the iron once. Although Ira again sends the police after them, Tommy and Judy manage to escape and, in the morning, arrive at the district attorney's office to tell their story. The suspicious district attorney threatens to arrest Tommy for helping her escape, but Judy's parole officer has confidence in her, convinces him to listen. At Tommy's suggestion, the district attorney sends police to bring in Frances, who, while trying to evade them, falls down the stairs to her death, clutching a Bible. Meanwhile, the district attorney investigates Judy's report about the racket and has his men bring in Ira and Midge, who lie to protect themselves. After the district attorney is informed of Frances' death, he apologetically tells Judy that, as there is nothing on which he can re-open the case, she must serve out her term. He asks her to make an official statement, so that he can prosecute Ira, Midge and Dot, but she refuses. Recalling Hilda's words about the fate of a "squealer," she complains that neither the laws of society nor the prison jungle protect her. Seeing that she is becoming hard and losing all hope, Tommy tells her that she has let him down. When, hypocritically, Midge tells him to forget her, Judy slaps Midge and offers her statement. As Midge and Ira are led away for more questioning, a policeman hands the district attorney Frances' Bible, which contains her signed confession about killing of Nolan. The district attorney then promises that Judy can expect a full pardon from the governor.