Lina, a naive young woman, joins the company of prostitutes, murderers, and thieves at a large women's prison as she awaits her trial on charges of robbery. She soon finds a friend in Aggie, a hardened prostitute and con woman who decides to school Lina in the ways of the world. Lina tries to convince Aggie that she is innocent: she had come to Rome to work as a housemaid and had fallen in love with Adonis, who promised to marry her. One night they went to a movie; her employer's house was robbed while they were gone, and she was charged with the crime. Aggie insists that Adonis planned the crime. She advises Lina to offer him a proposition: her silence in exchange for a share of the "take." Lina learns that her cynical friend is right: Adonis is a married man with three children, and she is not the first housemaid Adonis has tricked. Acquitted of the crime, Lina leaves her innocence behind in prison. Meanwhile, Aggie's cynical defenses begin to waiver. She is moved by her contact with Marietta, a romantic young thief who has been watching a mechanic working across the street from the prison. Lina secretly brings them together; they fall in love and make plans to marry. Marietta leaves the prison, and Aggie considers the hopelessness of her life, happy that her friends are free. One day Lina returns to the prison transformed into a grotesquely painted prostitute. Aggie feels responsible for the change; in horror she attacks Lina. As she is being dragged off to solitary confinement, Aggie screams for the freedom to change her life.

Director:
Renato Castellani	Director
Rinaldo Ricci	Assistant Director
Cast:
Anna Magnani	as Egle [Aggie]
Giulietta Masina	as Lina
Cristina Gajoni	as Marietta
Myriam Bru	as Vittorina
Renato Salvatori	as Piero, the mechanic
Milly Monti	as Suor Giusseppina
Angela Portaluri	as Laura
Virginia Benati	as Vera
Miranda Campa	as Ida Maroni
Marcella Rovena	as Signora Luisa
Mirella Gregori	as Adele
Marcella Valeri	as Assunta
Pia Velsi	as Suora "28"
Alba Maiolini	as Sara
Manzilla Ercolani	as Amelia
Luigina Giustini	as Giacomino
Lia Grani	as Contessa
Saro Urzì	as Maresciallo Carcere
Alberto Sordi	as Adonis
Cinematography:
Leonida Barboni	Director of Photography
Aiace Parolin	Director of Photography
Writer:
Suso Cecchi D'Amico	Dial
Renato Castellani	Dial & adapt
Producer:
Giuseppe Amato	Producer
Editing:
Iolanda Benvenuti	Film Editor
Music:
Román Vlad	Music
Art Director:
Ottavio Scotti	Art Director
Sound:
Enrico Palmieri	Sound Engineer
Film Production - Main:
Franco Magli	Production Manager

Opened in Rome in November 1958 as Nella città l'inferno; running time: 110 min; in Paris in June 1959 as L'enfer dans la ville; running time: 98 min. Also known as The Wild, Wild Women and Hell in the City.

Released in France June 1959

Released in Italy November 1958

Released in United States May 24, 1961

Released in United States Summer May 24, 1961

b&w

Supercinescope

Released in United States May 24, 1961 (New York City)

Released in United States Summer May 24, 1961

Released in France June 1959

Released in Italy November 1958

Based on the novel Roma, via delle Mantellate by Isa Mari (Rome, 1953).