True Story of Lynn Stuart, The (1958)

Based on a true story in Orange County, California, and on newspaper articles by Pat Michaels, The True Story of Lynn Stuart is an interesting picture with plenty of suspense.

The movie deals with an actual case in which a housewife offered her services to the police as an undercover agent to help run down a gang of dope peddlers.

Betsy Palmer stars as Santa Ana housewife Phyllis Carter who goes to work for the police after her nephew is killed in a car accident as the result of narcotics.

Under the name of Lynn Stuart, she wins the attention of Willie Down (future Hawaii-Five-O star Jack Lord), a leader of the gang, who takes her into his confidence. She reports her findings secretly to the police.

Phyllis is forced to accompany Willie on a major dope smuggling operation over the Mexican border, during which he commits three murders.

She manages to keep in touch with the police, however, and after some exciting adventures, the gang is rounded up.

The gang never learns that Phyllis is an undercover agent and after the mobsters are convicted, she and her family are forced to move to another city for their own protection.

All the elements that appeal to an action fan are here: intrigue, hijacking, fights, shootings and chases.

An explanatory introduction of what he describes as “an almost unbelievable true story” is presented by Edmund G Brown, attorney general of the state of California.

Phyllis Carter (Lynn Stuart)
Betsy Palmer
Willie Down
Jack Lord
Police Lt. Jim Hagan
Barry Atwater
Doc
John Anderson
Nora Efron
Claudia Bryar
Sue Diggins
Rita Duncan
Jerry Jackson (Wilbur Stuart)
Harry Jackson
Father Albert
Edward Le Veque
Hal Bruck
Karl Lukas
Dr Freeley
James Maloney
Turk
Gavin MacLeod
Lucy
Madeline O’Donnell
Fred
Carlos Romero
Eddie Dine
Casey Walters
Nat
Than Wyenn
Edmund G Brown,
Himself

Director
Lewis Seiler