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William CurranSex Madness (1938)

This is a typical sex exploitation film from the early 1930s - complete with wild parties, sex out of wedlock, lesbianism, etc. A chorus girl's exposure to the "casting couch" also exposes her to syphilis.

Exploitation filmmakers hoped to capitalize on the taboo subjects of venereal disease, sex before marriage, lesbianism, etc. while skirting the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 which forbade a film from containing such content. Films like this would tour the United States for years - mostly being shown in rundown, skid row theaters. This film has been re-edited and re-titled ("Human Wreckage", "They Must Be Told", "Trial Marriage", "About Trial Marriage") many times to attract the same audience to film, to take advantage of a taboo subject which may have gotten press recently or to appease local censors who disapproved of the film's content.

You can find more information regarding this film on its IMDb page.

Also, if you are interested in the rich, uniquely American history of exploitation films, there are two excellent books on the subject:

"Forbidden Fruit - The Golden Age of the Exploitation Film", Felicia Feaster and Bret Wood, Midnight Marquee Press, 1999.

"Bold! Daring! Shocking! True! A History of Exploitation Films, 1919 - 1959" Eric Schaefer, Duke University Press, 1999


This movie is part of the collection: Feature Films

Director: William Curran
Production Company: Cinema Service Corp.
Audio/Visual: sound, b&w
Keywords: exploitation; melodrama

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: keygrip - - October 15, 2009
Subject: The worst film on the site by far
Badly acted boring crap.
Don't bother with it. No stars

Reviewer: Chetzpt22 - - July 23, 2009
Subject: brsean's strap on
that book long review you wrote is a good example of why the world has been at war killing each other for thousands of years (like the one we have now!)because of religious frantic's - if I knew you I would build you a cross with a little wheel at the bottom of the T so you could strap yourself to it (better yet let a friend like yourself nail you to it)which for you might release some of that pent up whatever you have & for me it will let me know another religious nut is coming. I have no review - this person bummed me out so much on it I decided to just download it watch at a another time.

Reviewer: DaNess - - June 22, 2009
Subject: someone get brsean a life lol
People who make huge negative and witty reviews like that are critic wannabes and have no life

I will admit in short-form that this short-flick is extremely boring

Reviewer: Seto-Kaiba_Is_Stupid - - June 2, 2009
Subject: Hmm
I've seen more dirt in "Saved by the Bell".

Reviewer: Katies - - April 27, 2009
Subject: Great firm
Great firm. May i quot this movie to display on this site:

http://www.siamtech.net

Reviewer: jandtsmom - - April 14, 2009
Subject: Yawn
Boring.......

Reviewer: brsean - - April 9, 2009
Subject: Such a Popular Item ... What do the Saints Say?...
St Alphonsus De Liguori, a Doctor of the Church, in "The Four Gates of Hell" says this about sins against chastity: "It is by this gate that the greater number of the damned enter. Some will say that it is a trifling sin. Is it a trifling sin? It is a mortal sin. St. Antoninus writes that such is the nauseousness of this sin that the devils themselves cannot endure it. Moreover, the Doctors of the Church say that certain demons, who have been superior to the rest, remembering their ancient dignity, disdain tempting to so loathsome a sin. Consider then how disgusting he must be to God, who, like a dog, is ever returning to his vomit, or wallowing like a pig in the stinking mire of this accursed vice (2 Pet 2: 22). The impure say, moreover, "God has compassion on us who are subject to this vice, because He knows that we are flesh." What do you say? God has compassion on this vice? But you must know that the most horrible chastisements with which God has ever visited the earth have been drawn down by this vice. St. Jerome says that this is the only sin of which we read that it caused God to repent of having made man, for all flesh had become corrupted (Gen 6: 6-12). And so it is, St. Jerome says, that there is no sin which God punishes so rigorously, even upon earth, as this. He once sent fire from Heaven upon five cities, and consumed all their inhabitants for this sin (Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen
18-19). Principally on account of this sin did God destroy mankind, with the exception of eight persons, by the flood. It is a sin which God punishes, not only in the other life, but in this also. Because, says God, you have forgotten Me and turned your back upon Me, for a miserable pleasure of the flesh, I am resolved that even in this life you shall pay the price of your wickedness (Ezek 23: 35). You say, "God has compassion upon men subject to this sin." But it is this sin that sends most men to Hell. St. Remigius says that the greater number of the damned are in Hell through this vice. Father Segneri writes that as this vice fills the world with sinners, so it fills Hell with damned souls; and before him St. Bernardine of Siena wrote: "This sin draws the whole world, as it were, into sin." And before him St. Bernard and St. Isidore said that "the human race is brought under the power of the devil more by lust than by all the other vices." The reason is because this vice proceeds from the natural inclination of the flesh. Hence St Thomas Aquinas says that the devil does not take such complacency in securing the commission of any other sin as of this, because the person who is plunged in this infernal mire remains lodged therein, and almost wholly unable to free himself again. "No one is so obstinate in sin as the impure," says St. Thomas of Villanova. Moreover, this vice deprives one of all light, for the impure man becomes so blind as almost wholly to forget God, says St. Laurence Justinian; which is in accordance with what is said by the prophet Hosea: They will not set their thoughts to return to their God; for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known God (Hos 5: 4). The impure man does not know God; he obeys neither God nor reason, as St. Jerome says; he obeys only the sensual appetite which causes him to act like a beast.
This sin, because it flatters, makes us fall at once into the habit of it, a habit which some carry with them even to death. You see husbands, and decrepit old men, indulge in the same thoughts and committing the same sins that they committed in their youth. And because sins of this kind are so easily committed, they become multiplied without number. Ask of the sinner how many impure thoughts he has consented to: he will tell you he cannot remember. But, brother, if you cannot tell the number, God can; and you know that a single willful immodest thought is enough to send you to Hell. How many immodest words have you spoken, in which you took delight yourself, and by which you scandalized your neighbor? From thoughts and words you proceed to acts, and to those innumerable impurities which those wretches roll and wallow in like swine, without ever being satisfied, for this vice is never satisfied.
But, Father, you will say, how can I hold out against the innumerable temptations which assail me? I am weak, I am flesh. And since you are weak, why not recommend yourself to God, and to most holy Mary, who is the mother of purity? Since you are flesh, why do you throw yourself in the way of sin? Why do you not
guard your eyes? Why do you gaze upon those objects from which temptations flow?...It is to be remarked, moreover, that this sin brings with it innumerable others: enmities, thefts, and, more especially, sacrilegious confessions and Communions, by reason of the shame which will not allow these impurities to be disclosed in confession. And let us remark here in passing, that it is sacrilege above all things, that brings upon us sickness and death; for, says the Apostle, He that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord; and then he adds: therefore are many infirm and weak among you. And St. John Chrysostom, in explanation of that passage, says that St. Paul speaks of persons who were chastised with bodily infirmities because they received the Sacrament with a guilty conscience.
My brethren, should you ever have been sunk in this vice, I do not bid you be disheartened, but arise at once from this foul and infernal pit; beg of God immediately to give you light, and stretch out His hand to you. The first thing that you have to do is to break with the occasion of sin: without that, preaching and tears and resolutions and confessions, all are lost. Remove the occasions, and then constantly recommend yourself to God, and to Mary the mother of purity. No matter how grievously you may be tempted, do not be discouraged by the temptation; at once call to your aid Jesus and Mary, pronouncing their sacred names. These blessed names have the virtue of making the devil fly, and stifling that hellish flame within you. If the devil persists in tempting you, persevere in calling upon Jesus and Mary, and certainly you shall not fall. In order to rid yourself of your evil habits, undertake some special devotion to our Lady; begin to fast in her honor upon Saturdays; contrive to visit her image every day, and beg of her to obtain for you deliverance from that vice. Every morning immediately after rising, never omit saying three "Hail Marys" in honor of her purity and do the same when going to bed; and above all things, as I have said, when the temptation is most troublesome, call quickly upon Jesus and Mary. Beware, brother, if you do not be converted now, you may never be converted.

Reviewer: gfgbhecb - - December 15, 2008
Subject: s

Reviewer: Cousin Eerie - - December 3, 2008
Subject: I'll tell you what's funny...
The film itself wasn't actually made as a comedy, so by someone saying this film is 'funny' means that the quality of the film is so low, the acting so poor and the content so skewed that it is humorous.
This is a cult classic, such as Reefer Madness, Cocaine Fiends and the like. I find all of these films 'funny' for the same reason that Sex Fiends is.
Did you ever see Mystery Science Theatre 3000? None of the films on that show were supposed to be funny, but by the hosts of the show adding smart aleck comments and pointing out the bad acting and effects, it made the films hilarious.
I guess you just need a certain kind of humor to appreciate the hilarity of this film.

Reviewer: Meatpies - - November 9, 2008
Subject: Who said this was supposed to be funny?
Unfunny and overrated?

This wasn't supposed to be funny. And I don't recall anyone saying this film is supposed to be the next Gone With The Wind...

Maybe Thomas needs to switch to decaf

Reviewer: Classic_TV_and_Radio_Fan - - November 7, 2008
Subject: Crap
UNFUNNY AND OVERRATED!

Reviewer: k-otic - - November 4, 2008
Subject: who´s thomas
no need to shout thomas, there is nothing that become true trough shouting

Credits

Screenplay: Joseph Seiden and Vincent Valentini

With Vivian McGill, Rose Tapley, Al Rigeli, Stanley Barton, Linda Lee Hill.