The prologue to "Street of Forgotten Women" is unintentionally hilarious. It points out how the film was brought to the audience as a 'public service' and pretends to be a film about social progress and change. Instead, it's a sensationalistic exploitation film...the sort of movie that pretended to preach against evil...but was designed to bring in the crowds hoping to catch a few glimpses of that evil! Norton S. Parker also directed this film in addition to "Street of Forgotten Women". You can understand why he made exploitation pictures, as "Road to Ruin" cost a paltry $2500 to make and ended up grossing (a good choice of words) $2,500,000!! There are no financial figures given for this one, but most likely it grossed quite a bit!!
In "Road to Ruin" a young woman's path to perversion and death was paved by reading a romance novel. In "Street of Forgotten Women" the lady's virtue was lost and it was all due to acting!
When the story begins, Ken the social worker meets with Mr. Fleming the rich industrialist and slumlord. Apparently a lot of vice is happening in his slums and he's indifferent to Ken's pleas to close the places. A bit later, Fleming's daughter, Grace, is lured by promises from some guy named Magnus to make her a star. But her stage debut is a disaster and she is out of work....but too proud to return home. Then Magnus arranges for her to get more work...but it's in a weird sort of burlesque house where she appears on stage in her underwear and men bid on the right to give her a kiss (huh??). Later, Magnus attacks and rapes Grace and she is left stunned...wandering the streets in the slums. Eventually, she collapses in the doorway to a brothel where she is then held prisoner! Is there any hope for her? And, what about her father? Will he learn that his own beloved daughter has fallen in with such shameful scum?? Watch the film and see for yourself....if you dare!!
Unlike nearly every exploitation film I have seen, there is actually a reasonably happy ending to this one and then Grace herself explains that it was she who narrated this silent film and that it's all TRUE!!! So, the lesson apparently is twofold. First, don't be a slumlord. Second, never, ever become an actress!!!
Like most exploitation films, the story is salacious and silly...and rather entertaining. It's not nearly as much fun to watch as "Road to Ruin" but it is still unintentionally hilarious.