Girls in Prison

Anne Carson is transported to a women's prison on charges of participating in a bank robbery. The authorities focus the inquiry on her while the other two suspects remain at large. She insists she knew nothing about any money.

Inside, Anne encounters the stern matron Jane Darwell and the compassionate chaplain Rev Fulton, who questions whether Anne has been wrongly jailed. Their attitudes set the tone for how she will be treated in the facility. Anne senses the lingering doubt about her guilt from both staff and inmates.

Anne meets her cellmates: Jenny, the inmate who seems to run others; Melanee, who schemes for attention; and Dorothy, who has murdered her husband and child in a case of jealousy. Dorothy’s fixation on other inmates' lovers signals trouble ahead. Jenny and Melanee quickly establish a 'good cop/bad cop' dynamic to press Anne for information.

Jenny and Melanee begin probing for information about the hidden money. Melanee hints to Dorothy that Anne is actually Lois, deepening the paranoia among the inmates. The rumor mill ratchets up pressure on Anne and tightens the noose around her innocence.

Paul Anderson, still at large, torments Anne's ex-criminal father Pop Carson with threats while insisting he will split the loot if Pop reveals its location. He uses this leverage to push the search for the money beyond the prison walls. The danger from the outside world intensifies the stakes for Anne.

The inmates’ schemes grow more dangerous as Dorothy and the others threaten Anne. Anne endures the looming danger and witnesses a tense catfight when she resists Melanee’s pressure to expose the loot. The atmosphere inside the prison becomes increasingly volatile.

A powerful earthquake hits the area, collapsing structures and plunging the prison into chaos. The disaster disables communications and allows the inmates to act with less fear of immediate reprisal. Debris and panic complicate any attempt to maintain order inside and around the facility.

Jenny and Melanee seize the opportunity created by the quake to escape, aided by outside contacts for a pistol and by Grandma Mae Marsh’s help. Anne joins them, and they set out to locate the hidden money. The disaster disrupts lines and gates, making the getaway possible.

The trio flees in a stolen vehicle, but Melanee is killed when Jenny and Anne abandon her. The remaining pair push on toward Anne’s home to confront the money mystery. The escape turns into a smaller pact between Anne and Jenny against the outside threats.

They arrive to find Pop Carson being held at gunpoint by Paul. Anne admits she hid the money and hands it over to secure everyone's safety. The tense standoff underscores the pull between crime, loyalty, and survival.

The Reverend arrives and a violent moment ensues as Paul shoots Jenny. The Reverend wrestles Paul to subdue him just before the police arrive. Anne watches as order is restored and the truth about the loot begins to surface.

With the danger resolved, Anne chooses to return to prison rather than press her fate further. The money has been accounted for, and the authorities take control of the situation. The film ends with Anne facing the consequences of her alleged crime.