Synanon
The difficulties faced by drug addicts
attempting to kick their habits provide
the basis of this gritty, realistic drama
that was filmed at a real rehab house
in Santa Monica, California. The story
centers on Zankie (Alex Cord), an ex-con
who is having trouble following the strict
rules of the house. Soon he finds himself
involved in an affair with another inmate,
an ex-hooker (Stella Stevens). She is
only supposed to monitor and assist with
his recovery, not get emotionally involved.
When Zankie gets into a fight with another
patient (Chuck Connors) both he and the
girl leave the center. Soon after leaving,
he begins looking for more drugs and dies
of an overdose in a cheap hotel. The ex-hooker
then returns to the rehab house to resume
her own treatment. Synanon, the model
for the rehab-house of this 1965 feature,
was a large ex-addict-run enterprise which
expanded its operations steadily over
the next decade. It was famous for its
harsh “tough-love” policies
and its high success rate.
video
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