W. Merle Connell

Umberto Scalli (Timothy Farrell) runs an illegal drug ring out of a women's health spa, peddling "bennies" and sleeping pills to teenagers and socialites alike while keeping one step ahead of the judge determined to shut him down. A classic post-war exploitation picture, The Devil's Sleep was directed by W. Merle Connell and produced by George Weiss, who later financed Ed Wood's Glen or Glenda. It is the first of Farrell's three turns as the shady Scalli, and features Lita Grey, Charlie Chaplin's former wife, as the crusading judge. The film was never registered for copyright and is in the public domain.

Crime · Drama