This independent stinker of a film is on the order of Reefer Madness. Done in the
spirit of that cult classic it's a public service film warning of the dangers of addiction to prescription meds. It stars one of Charlie Chaplin's ex-wives, Lita
Grey Chaplin and why she did it God only knows. She couldn't act worth anything.
But that does not separate her from most of the rest of the cast. Most of them
you've never heard of, most only did this film maybe one or two others. Only
villain Timothy Farrell and John Mitchum have some appreciable screen credits.
Brother Bob Mitchum did a few clinkers in his career, but he must have razzed
his brother something awful about this one. John Mitchum appears briefly in
the role of a doctor.
Farrell who is a modern gangster type took his acting lessons from the Snidely
Whiplash school of villainy. Judge Chaplin who now heads the town's juvenile
court, once sent him to prison.
Farrell now runs a health club as a cover from which he can sell his pills to fat
ladies trying to reduce, but that ain't enough profit. Gotta get those kids hooked and he decides that maybe if he can get Chaplin's daughter hooked
he'll have had his revenge.
What can I say, the direction is non-existent, the film looks like it was shot with
my father's old Bell&Howell home movie camera, the production values are
nil.
But some might fine some humor in The Devil's Sleep's very awfulness. Ed
Wood might hold his nose on this one.
