it is easy to test if the film was not coated for some reason. Take a sheet out of the box, turn on the lights and look at it. Film emulsion looks like emulsion -- grayish or bluish, depending on what kind it is. maybe gray. certainly not clear.

then in broad daylight put the film in developer, then fixer. should go totally black.

if not, ur doing something wrong but you don't sound like someone to make a newbie mistake.