davidjanuzbrown Is this a great film? Not in the least, it was simply too short. But what actually makes it a good film are the supporting characters such as Lillian Roth as Linda, DeWitt Jennings as Detective Tracy (Incredible that that he was not credited because his scenes were paramount to the picture (Spoilers: He was the one who caught Nan Taylor (Barbara Stanwyck)in the first place, and he let Nan go, when he knew Nan shot David Slade (Preston Foster)), and "Sister" Susie (Dorothy Burgess). She was the main villain in the film, and she was in my favorite scene when she framed Nan for a letter, and Nan punched her out Cagney Style. On to Stanwyck, if anyone has seen her films before: "The Lady Eve", "The Mad Miss Manton", "Ball of Fire" "Golden Boy", "The Furies", and of course, "Baby Face", just to name a few, know that Barbara is not the kind of woman to bring home to mother, and there some kind of repercussions involved for being with her, and these were not addressed in this film. Most notably Spade speaking out against politicians and newspapers. Does anyone think they would not say something about him being involved with (And eventually marrying) a felon? That is what almost cost Courtland Trenholm (George Brent) his life in "Baby Face" or Professor Bertram Potts (Gary Cooper) his life work in "Ball of Fire", and most notably, Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) who lost everything he had because of Phyllis Dietrichson in "Double Indemnity", being involved with a Stanwyck character. Perhaps the best line about a Stanwyck character was concerning "Sugarpuss" Katherine O'Shea in "Ball of Fire" who Miss Bragg (Kathleen Howard)referred to as the "Kind of woman who causes the destruction of entire civilizations." I would have liked to see Nan and Spade deal with the issues involved with their relationship. Not just the end where (Spoilers ahead) When he announces they are getting married and her response was "well, he said so, didn't he!!". As well as the final scene where Linda and the other prisoners read about their wedding in the paper. 7/10 stars.

movingpicturegal Barbara Stanwyck as a beautiful gun moll who helps her gang commit an armed bank robbery, then gets herself arrested. A young reformer who speaks in front of an "old-fashioned revival" believes in her innocence and tries to help her as they both are from the same hometown and, well, she's not past using her looks to get what she wants. But when, for some reason that I couldn't quite figure out, she actually admits to him she was part of the hold-up, he then assists in sending her to San Quentin. Soon our gal is the "new fish" in prison, and this is a women's prison like no other - if it weren't for the appearance of some older women prisoners in the mix, this would almost look a private girl's school rather than the state Penn! Lounge rocking chairs, newspapers, card games, a "greenhouse" area, a hair stylist, manicures, the "ladies bird club", phonograph record players, and outside - "the sun yard", a regular garden spot. These women can wear their own slinky negligees at night and play records in their room - and one older inmate actually is allowed to keep her own little "lap dog" - h'm.This film is pretty good - the portrayal of the prison so far-fetched it's actually kind of a hoot to watch. I notice the male prisoners (on the other side of the prison) don't seem to have the same conditions as the women as they are shown in regular jail cells with bars. Anyway, Barbara Stanwyck, one of my favorite actresses from that era, gives her usual star performance and acts up a storm - just great as she plays the world-wise gal who'll play hard ball to get what she wants. A really fun film.

Neil Doyle LADIES THEY TALK ABOUT is a really hokey melodrama, an early BARBARA STANWYCK film that has her as an accomplice in a bank robbery and serving time in prison. Meanwhile, she has an affair with PRESTON FOSTER which really makes no sense at all. She hates him all through the film for various reasons and even shoots him in a heated moment toward the end, but then relents and discovers that she's been in love with him all along.It's amusing to watch all the pre-code attempts to give the film some realism with implied relationships of a lesbian nature, but at least RUTH DONNELLY is on hand in a key supporting role as one of the prison matrons with a unique way of scaring inmates.It's Stanwyck's performance that saves the film from complete banality. She gives every scene the punch it needs with a tough performance that still manages to show some vulnerability. LILLIAN ROTH is just okay as a fellow prisoner showing her the ropes and LYLE TALBOT is on hand as her doomed boyfriend.Nothing special as far as prison dramas go, but whatever it has it owes to Stanwyck. PRESTON FOSTER, without his trademark mustache, has a role that makes almost no sense, especially in that final scene where he protects her for seemingly no good reason.Summing up: Worth a look for Stanwyck's performance.

blanche-2 Barbara Stanwyck is a front for bank robbers who winds up in San Quentin in "Ladies They Talk About," a pre-code drama. The film is badly dated with very melodramatic acting, the exceptions being Stanwyck and Lillian Roth. Not to mention, it's an absurd story. A popular reformer, "Brother David Slade" falls for Barbara the minute he sees her, believes her innocent, and wants to help her. He arranges for her release from jail, and then, brimming with confidence, she confesses that she was indeed part of the bank robbery. Shattered, he sends her up the river to San Quentin.Once there, Stanwyck becomes a popular inmate with the exception of Sister Susie who's in love with Slade and hates her guts. Stanwyck helps her old buddies from the bank robbery escape by tunneling to her cell. The story goes on from there.Lillian Roth is great as a young woman who befriends Stanwyck, and she gets to sing. Stanwyck is fabulous with her wavy hair and tough talk. Preston Foster mainly looks pious and sincere.The film is interesting because of Stanwyck and Roth, but the story isn't good. Happily this was at the beginning of Stanwyck's career, and she went on to better things.