Heavy-handed exploitation films warn of the danger of drugs
Two 1949 drug exploitation films are paired in a new Blu-ray release. Made at a time when mainstream Hollywood steered clear of the controversial and disturbing subject of drug addiction, both independent films relied on exaggeration and fear to show that smoking marijuana and taking pills illegally is only the beginning of a life of crime and despair.<br /><br />In 1948, starlet Lila Leeds was arrested along with Robert Mitchum on charges of marijuana possession. Both served 60 days in jail. Though Mitchum’s career survived the scandal, Leeds’ was practically destroyed until she was offered the starring role in “She Should’a Said NO!” (also known as “Wild Weed”). Leeds plays Anne Lester, a chorus girl trying to pay for her young brother’s college education. After meeting dope pusher Marky (Alan Baxter), she’s drawn into a world of marijuana smoking, which leads to tragedy and her realization that getting high has often terrible consequences.<br /><br />“She Should’a Said NO!” is exploitative in amplifying the effects of social pot smoking. Unsavory characters, immorality, prison, and suicide will follow, according to the film. This low-budget picture was designed to titillate audiences while posing as a cautionary tale to protect young people from marijuana’s inevitable moral decay. Based more on scare tactics than on scientific facts, it uses the police procedural format to tell its sensationalist story.<br /><br />Acting is weak, the screenplay is overly melodramatic, and there is a preachy quality throughout, as if to hit us over the head to make sure we get the message to stay away from weed. Leeds does her best with weak material. Baxter is appropriately smarmy as the arrogant drug dealer. David Holt, as Anne’s brother, marks a new low for inept screen acting. He also looks far too old to be a college student. Lyle Talbot turns in his typically rigid performance as the cop who recruits Anne to bring Marky down.<br /><br />The second film, “The Devil’s Sleep” (aka “Hopped Up”), centers on illegal use of prescription pills. Drug kingpin Umberto Scalli (Timothy Farrell) uses a women’s health spa as a front for his “diet” pill racket. Judge Rosalind Ballantine (Lita Grey Chaplin) wants to nail Scalli, but her daughter (Tracy Lynne) is set up and the pushers blackmail the judge by showing her a photo of her naked daughter.<br /><br />This is a truly awful film, from its wooden performances, dull photography, awkward pauses, and preposterous characters to its non-existent production design. Everything looks cheap. At least in “Should’a Said NO!” there’s an attempt to give a film a few noir touches. In “The Devil’s Sleep,” no one, least of all director W. Merle Connell, seems to care. What the director does care about is showing as much female flesh as he can get away with. At a time when Hollywood was still timid about nudity, Connell amps up the bare skin. For no apparent reason, Mr. America George Eiferman pops up in the latter half of the film as as a spa instructor. His muscles are far more developed than his acting ability.<br /><br />The only bright spot in this dreary picture is a comic scene featuring Mildred Davis as Tessie T. Tessy, a large woman who enrolls at the spa to lose weight. A very funny comedienne, she does a “Who’s On First?” type of routine with various spa employees about her unusual name. This has nothing to do with the plot, but it’s a welcome reward for struggling through this pot boiler.<br /><br />Bonus materials on this Blu-ray release include an audio commentary and 5 trailers.
The movie title "She Shoulda Said "No"! / The Devil's Sleep (Forbidden Fruit, Volume 6) [Blu-ray]," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.7 from 8 reviewers. 
It features elements such as [], and it is priced at $20.09.

This title falls under the categories of Movies & TV, Featured Categories, Blu-ray and Drama. 
The additional details include the following in key-value format :
 {"Genre": "Cult Movies", "Format": "Anamorphic, NTSC, Subtitled", "Contributor": "Lila Leeds, Jack Elam, Lita Gray Chaplin", "Language": "English", "Runtime": "2 hours and 27 minutes", "MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Product Dimensions": "0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 0.01 Ounces", "Media Format": "Anamorphic, NTSC, Subtitled", "Run time": "2 hours and 27 minutes", "Release date": "August 18, 2020", "Actors": "Lila Leeds, Jack Elam, Lita Gray Chaplin", "Studio": "Kino Classics", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : After producing the wildly successful Mom and Dad, Kroger Babb, the godfather ofthe exploitation film, scored another coup by securing the involvement of Hollywoodstarlet Lila Leeds, who had been arrested in a high-profile marijuana bust with Robert Mitchum. “She Should’a Said ‘NO’!” stars Leeds as a party girl recruited by a hard-boiled cop (Lyle Talbot) to take down the sinister dope-pusher (Alan Baxter) responsible for the addiction and death of her brother (David Holt). Not to be outdone, producer George Weiss loaded his gymnasium pill-mill thriller The Devil’s Sleep with three celebrities: Mitchum’s brother John, Charlie Chaplin’s former teen bride Lita Grey, and Mr. America George Eiferman. But stealing the film, as always, was character actor Timothy Farrell, in thefirst of three appearnces as crime boss Umberto Scalli.Special Features:-Audio commentary for ""She Should'a Said 'NO'! By film historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas -Trailer gallery.