The True Story of Lynn Stuart: Difference between revisions

''{{Redirect|Lynn Stuart|people redirects here. For those of awith similar name, see [[names|Lynn Stewart (disambiguation)]]}}

| image =File:The True Story of Lynn Stuart.jpg

| country = [[United States]]

| language = [[English language|English]]

'''''The True Story of Lynn Stuart''''' (originally titled '''''The Other Life of Lynn Stuart''''') is a 1958 American [[filmBiographical noirfilm|biographical]] [[BiographicalCrime film|biographicalcrime]] [[crimeDrama (film and television)|crime-drama]] film starring [[Betsy Palmer]], [[Jack Lord]], [[Barry Atwater]] and released by [[Columbia Pictures]].

Marking the final [[Film director|directorial]] effort of [[Lewis Seiler]], it dramatizes the true story of a young [[Santa Ana, California]], [[housewife]] who became a volunteer [[undercover]] [[Narc (narcotics)|narcotics agent]] in the 1950s. The woman, known publicly only by the pseudonym Lynn Stuart to protect her from possible reprisals, served in that capacity for six years and provided information which ultimately led to approximately 30 drug-related convictions.<ref name=Coates>(1957, August 29). Coats, Paul V. "[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/2007/08/paul-v-coates-5.html Confidential file]" ''[[Los Angeles Times|Los Angeles Mirror-News]]''</ref>

After robbing the drug shipment from its drivers, Down murders them and the informant he had used from the competing gang. Carter is extremely unnerved by the killings, but can find no way to extricate herself from Down. When they stop at a gas station, she leaves a note in the restroom instructing whomeverwhoever finds it to contact the police for her and direct them to the motel being used by the gang.

In the film, the exact amount of time that Lynn Stuart is involved with the drug gang is not specified, but it seems to be not more than a matter of weeks; the actual woman known as Lynn Stuart maintained her undercover identity for six years.<ref name=Coates /> In the film, she is supplied with an apartment separate from her actual home with her family, and the gang members know only the apartment as her residence; in reality, her actual family residence was known to gang members with whom she was involved.<ref name=Coates />

In the film, the death of her nephew serves as the catalyst for her offer to go undercover; in reality, she cited only the fear that the drug trade might negatively affect her own sons when they became teenagers.<ref name=Coates /> The film depicts Stuart as merely an observer of the gang's illegal activities prior to her being pulled into the hijacking on her last day; in reality she was more actively involved in the activities, including making drug purchases.<ref name=Coates />

The actual woman known as Lynn Stuart served as a technical adviser for the film, whose original title was ''The Other Life of Lynn Stuart''. Stuart made a point to mask herself when visiting the set.<ref name=miami_news>(1958, January 12). "[httphttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6mMzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sOoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3119,4549360 Movie Barred From Jails As Protection To Informer]", ''[[The Miami News]]''</ref><ref>Marr, Shane (Director). (2006). ''Betsy Palmer: A Scream Queen Legend''. [Documentary]. Cinemarr Entertainment.</ref> Since Stuart had left her undercover identity without those she had helped convict knowing the truth about her, Columbia Pictures made the film with the stipulation that the company would not allow it to be screened in any California prisons, to help prevent inmates incarcerated because of Stuart's actions from deducing that she had betrayed them.<ref name=miami_news />

''The movieTrue Story of Lynn Stuart'' marked the first feature film appearance by later television star [[Gavin MacLeod]], who had a small, uncredited role as a member of the drug gang.

[[Category:1950s1958 crime drama films]]

[[Category:1950s crimebiographical drama films]]

[[Category:1950sAmerican biographicalblack-and-white films]]

[[Category:American biographical drama films]]

[[Category:True crimeCrime films based on actual events]]