Always strange to see (and review) a film of great cultural and historical relevance with little to no cinematic or dramatic interest. In other words, congrats to the powers that be behind this 1939 work (the Popkins, presumably) for bucking both racial and gender stereotypes and financing and making a movie where the African American characters wear suits and dresses rather than porters caps and aprons and where the main character is a working woman who gives the orders rather than receives them. But oh ye gods the acting and writing are horrendous! One only has to compare a great actress like Louise Beavers' performance in "Imitation of Life" to the stiff, mechanical reform school head she portrays here with her line readings of dull dialogue in the most awkward, amateur manner to see that for African Americans in Hollywood this film is a first, very welcome, but tentative step forward. Give it a C plus (mostly for groundbreaking reasons).
Review of Reform School
