[mod_python] Login and redirection

I've got a situation where I need to protect pages, and I'm doing
it using cookies and sessions. If the user requests a 
protected page and he or she hasn't logged in, I redirect them
to a psp login page, which then POSTs to a publisher handler script.
That script then does req.internal_redirect to the originating url, or
back to the login page if the login didn't take.
The problem I'm having is twofold:
1.  If the login succeeds, then the internal redirect shows up in the 
location bar as the publisher script url, rather than the proper url
of the protected document.  It's ugly, but I can live with it if I have to.

2.  If the login fails, the internal redirect back to the login page never
happens; it seems like there's some sort of deadlock going from :
	login.psp redirect->POST login.py->internal_redirect login.psp

Having said all that, there's probably a better way to skin this particular
cat. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be much obliged.

Thanks
Oliver