"Babies For Sale" is a bit salacious, but still a terrific B-movie. Now B-movies often have come to mean sub-par to many but a B is far different. Sure, some were very poor but some others prove that just because a film has a low budget and short run time does NOT mean it can't be very entertaining. You see, the Bs served a purpose--they were meant as a second feature in a double-feature. This did NOT mean they needed to be bad or even average!
Glenn Ford plays a reporter who writes a story about black market babies--kids available from disreputable adoption agencies for a price. However, his editor receives a lot of heat for the story and demands Ford writes a retraction. Instead, he quits and decides to investigate further and prove the story is true. The trail leads to one of the instigators of the crusade against the reporter--a real scum-bag with no scruples whatsoever! At the same time, a young mother-to-be is in trouble---her husband has died and she's alone. She goes to the agency not to have the child adopted but for a place to stay--which they promise her. However, they have no intention of letting her keep her baby and plan on adopting it out to some rich folks. How they plan on getting away with this and how it all ends, you'll have to see for yourself.
While I do agree with the other review that the film isn't 100% frank (none of the mothers in this place seem to have illegitimate kids--which seems ridiculous), the story is very tight, exciting and, at times, quite moving. To me, it's a great example of how to do a B-exposee film--and one that seems underrated.
Glenn Ford plays a reporter who writes a story about black market babies--kids available from disreputable adoption agencies for a price. However, his editor receives a lot of heat for the story and demands Ford writes a retraction. Instead, he quits and decides to investigate further and prove the story is true. The trail leads to one of the instigators of the crusade against the reporter--a real scum-bag with no scruples whatsoever! At the same time, a young mother-to-be is in trouble---her husband has died and she's alone. She goes to the agency not to have the child adopted but for a place to stay--which they promise her. However, they have no intention of letting her keep her baby and plan on adopting it out to some rich folks. How they plan on getting away with this and how it all ends, you'll have to see for yourself.
While I do agree with the other review that the film isn't 100% frank (none of the mothers in this place seem to have illegitimate kids--which seems ridiculous), the story is very tight, exciting and, at times, quite moving. To me, it's a great example of how to do a B-exposee film--and one that seems underrated.