famed model and radio star Theodora Thurman's only motion picture credit, as she entered a career in radio soon after the film was made. The performance of Cotton Watts in some film prints was not filmed by Wood. The production company used film footage from one of Watts' stage shows to lengthen the film's running time. Watts was a white actor who performed in blackface at the nightclubs of Panama City Beach, Florida from 1947 to 1959. He was one of the last notable performers in the genre, as its popularity had declined following World War II and the Civil Rights Movement opposed attempts at revival. The inclusion of the footage in this film probably reflects the sensibilities of the intended audience. Jail Bait was primarily released in areas of the Deep South, where blackface still held a nostalgic appeal. Analysis The role of Marilyn as the protective sister to the troubled young man is somewhat unusual. In the B movies of the 1950s, it was not unusual for a female character to express concern over her male counterpart. But said female typically was the romantic interest of the protagonist, not his sister. Craig finds that Marilyn takes on the role of Don's wife, without any actual sexual tension between the siblings. The absence of a loving mother figure is said to be at the root of Don's problematic behavior. This is reminiscent of Glen or Glenda (1953), where Glen and his mother did not have a loving relationship and this was stated to be at the root of his problems. In both cases, the scripts emphasize the importance of a mother to a nuclear family. Don Gregor is one of Wood's typical sympathetic characters, a relatively decent man with a bad habit. The story follows the template of a tragedy. Reception The film holds a "rotten" 29% rating at the film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, receiving two positive reviews out of seven, not enough for a consensus. Film critic Dennis Schwartz gave the film a C rating, citing its poor acting and script, but stating it has a "complete and understandable story" that makes it Wood's best film ever, without as much unintentional humor as his other films. See also Ed Wood filmography References Bibliography Killer Joe (2011), a film by William Friedkin Rudolph Grey, Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (1992)