The Weak and the Wicked

From a wealthy background, Jean descends into gambling addiction that jeopardizes her future and relationships. Her debts at Seymour's illegal club escalate until, pressured to pawn her father’s cigarette case, she becomes entangled in fraud and is imprisoned. In Blackdown she encounters other inmates and begins to confront the consequences of her choices, eventually transferring to The Grange as part of a rehabilitation experiment. After serving her sentence, she reunites with Michael Hale, who has returned after his own departure.

A medical student who qualifies as a doctor and becomes a central figure in Jean's life. He issues an ultimatum to Jean to quit gambling or lose him, a demand that shapes their relationship. He accepts a three-year medical post in Northern Rhodesia, leaving Jean to face the consequences of her actions; he later resigns and returns to Britain, where the couple contemplates reconciliation.

Jean's friend who secretly works for Seymour. Pam orchestrates the pawn of Jean's cigarette case and plants the pawn ticket in Jean's flat, facilitating the fraud charge. Her duplicity drives the risk and tension that propel Jean into the prison system.

Operator of an illegal gambling club who controls and intimidates Jean, threatening 'alternative collection methods' if collateral is not left as arranged. He masterminds the scheme to trap Jean in fraud, using Pam to execute his plan. Seymour embodies the criminal underworld that entangles the protagonist in a web of crime.

An inmate at Blackdown who is imprisoned for protecting her boyfriend Norman from criminal charges, highlighting the personal costs of loyalty and desperation. Her presence adds to the sense of community among inmates and foreshadows the emotional stakes faced by those in the system.

A repeat shoplifter from a criminal family who becomes part of Blackdown's inmate population. Nellie embodies a life shaped by petty crime and family history, contributing to the film's exploration of social background and rehabilitation.

A pregnant inmate at Blackdown whose experience underscores the vulnerabilities and complexities facing women in the prison system. Her presence adds a layer of social realism to the penal environment and its impact on families.

A prisoner whose backstory includes the death of her child due to neglect, highlighting the tragic consequences of marginalization and the harsh realities of institutional life. Her character contributes to the film's examination of vulnerability and accountability within the penal world.