Prison of Secrets
Encyclopedia
Prison of Secrets is a 1997
television film directed by Fred Gerber
. The film is based on a true story and focuses on a female prison inmate who fights for women's rights while still in jail.
Lynn is determined to stop this, but Larry advises her to not interfere, pointing out that she could be free soon on probation. Lynn tries to take his advice, knowing that tough Angie and Betsy are the only people who are raped. However, when Frannie, one of the few women Lynn befriended, becomes the third victim, she realizes that nobody is safe and decides to fight back. With the help of her husband, who runs a radio station, she informs the media about the corruption.
Sergeant Crang, determined to keep Lynn silent, watches her every move, prohibits her from receiving visits from her husband and even physically assaults her. To collect proof, Lynn tries to convince fellow inmates to support her, but at first no one is willing to cooperate because they are either afraid of Crang or Angie, who forces the girls to remain silent. Angie has always been profiting from the corrupt system, getting drugs from the police and being released on supervision once a week to prostitute herself.
In the end, Lynn receives a file from a sympathizing female guard with all the evidence she needs. She tries to give it to a senator who is visiting to find out if the rape accusations are true. Crang and Angie try to stop Lynn, but with the help of fellow inmates and the female guard, Sheila, Lynn is able to reach the senator. Eventually, more than 20 guards are fired and replaced by female guards. Lynn is allowed to serve the rest of her sentence on house arrest.
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
television film directed by Fred Gerber
Fred Gerber
Fred Gerber is an American film and television director. Gerber has directed several popular television series which include Family Law, Desperate Housewives and House...
. The film is based on a true story and focuses on a female prison inmate who fights for women's rights while still in jail.
Plot
Lynn Schaffer is a loving mother and wife, who gets arrested for a crime she did not realize she comitted. She does not take the arrest seriously at first. Viewing herself as innocent, she goes against the advice of her lawyer to take a plea-bargain. Instead she ops for a trial. Coming as a complete surprise to her, she is convicted, receives the maximum sentence of 10 years and is and sent to a women's prison, leaving behind her husband Larry and daughter Carey. In prison, she has difficulty adjusting to not having any privacy and having to deal with drug addicts and prostitutes but soon finds out that the prison is corrupt, with Sergeant Ed Crang and other prison guards often sexually abusing inmates.Lynn is determined to stop this, but Larry advises her to not interfere, pointing out that she could be free soon on probation. Lynn tries to take his advice, knowing that tough Angie and Betsy are the only people who are raped. However, when Frannie, one of the few women Lynn befriended, becomes the third victim, she realizes that nobody is safe and decides to fight back. With the help of her husband, who runs a radio station, she informs the media about the corruption.
Sergeant Crang, determined to keep Lynn silent, watches her every move, prohibits her from receiving visits from her husband and even physically assaults her. To collect proof, Lynn tries to convince fellow inmates to support her, but at first no one is willing to cooperate because they are either afraid of Crang or Angie, who forces the girls to remain silent. Angie has always been profiting from the corrupt system, getting drugs from the police and being released on supervision once a week to prostitute herself.
In the end, Lynn receives a file from a sympathizing female guard with all the evidence she needs. She tries to give it to a senator who is visiting to find out if the rape accusations are true. Crang and Angie try to stop Lynn, but with the help of fellow inmates and the female guard, Sheila, Lynn is able to reach the senator. Eventually, more than 20 guards are fired and replaced by female guards. Lynn is allowed to serve the rest of her sentence on house arrest.
Cast
- Stephanie ZimbalistStephanie ZimbalistStephanie Zimbalist is an American actress best known for her role as Laura Holt on the NBC detective series Remington Steele.-Background:...
as Lynn Schaffer - Finola HughesFinola HughesFinola Hughes is an English actress, television host, author and former dancer, best known for role as Anna Devane on the General Hospital, All My Children and General Hospital: Night Shift , and her role as Anna Devane's identical twin sister, Doctor Alexandra Devane Marick, on All My Children...
as Angie - Gary FrankGary Frank (actor)Gary Frank is an American actor who won an Emmy Award for his performances on the TV seriesFamily...
as Larry Schaffer - Rusty SchwimmerRusty SchwimmerRusty Schwimmer is an American film and television actress and singer. Her most prominent role so far is that of Barbara Ludzinski on The Guardian.Among her movie appearances are those as Joey B in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, Mrs...
as Carla - Dan LauriaDan LauriaDaniel Joseph "Dan" Lauria is an American television and film actor.-Early life:Lauria, an Italian-American, was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Carmela and Joseph J. Lauria. He also lived in Lindenhurst, New York...
as Sergeant Ed Crang - Kimberly Russell as Frannie
- Stephanie Sawyer as Carey Schaffer