Untamed Women
Untamed Women is a 1952 United States science fiction film directed by W. Merle Connell for United Artists, written by George Wallace Sayre, and starring Mikel Conrad and Doris Merrick.[1]
Untamed Women | |
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![]() Theatrical release one sheet | |
Directed by | W. Merle Connel |
Written by | George Wallace Sayre |
Produced by | Richard Kay |
Starring | Mikel Conrad Doris Merrick |
Edited by | W Merle Connell |
Music by | Raoul Kraushaar |
Distributed by | Jewell Enterprises/United Artist |
Release date |
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Running time | 70 Minutes |
Country | USA |
Language | English |
Premise
An American bomber pilot, Steve Holloway, is rescued after drifting at sea during World War II. After he awakens from a coma at a military hospital, he tells his doctors how his copilot died when he and three of his fellow crew members, Benny, Andy, and Ed, crashed at sea. The survivors use a lifeboat to reach an island after drifting for days.
The island was inhabited by prehistoric dinosaurs and a tribe of Amazons, who are Druid-descended cave-women. The Amazons are being plagued by Neanderthal men intent on kidnapping them for breeding purposes. The Neanderthals had previously killed all of the Amazon’s men, and the Amazons fear the flight crew to be in league with the Neanderthals. [2]
Steve tries to explain the flight crew’s predicament but hearing that the crew was fighting a war further convinces the tribe of the crew's ill intent. However, one member of the tribe, Sandra, frees the men from their cell.
The men follow her recommended escape route, but encounter giant bison, prehistoric creatures and flesh eating plants. Realizing their chance for survival are slim, the return to the Amazon's camp. Upon their attempted return, they are attacked by a giant armadillo (a Glyptodont) but the Amazonian tribe comes to the rescue. Tribe members Myra, Valdra, Tennus and Cleo reveal that the crew’s release was not a helpful act but that Sandra had hoped the indigenous animals and plants would dispose of the men.
The Neanderthals attack killing Ed, and the remainder of the aircrew use their guns to drive them away. Steve recommends the Benny and Andy leave the island in the raft while he takes the tribe to their temple mountain which can be better defended. Benny and Andy refuse to leave Steve, knowing the Neanderthals are preparing for another attack and little ammunition remains.
The temple mountain is actually a volcano, which erupts, killing Benny, Andy, and the tribe. Steve makes barely makes it to the life raft.
Despite giving Holloway a truth serum, the military officers at the hospital find the story incredulous but testing of a medallion Sandra gave Steve proves it to be of Druid origin.[3]
Cast
- Mikel Conrad as Steve Holloway
- Doris Merrick as Sandra
- Richard Monahan as Benny
- Mark Lowell as Ed
- Morgan Jones as Andy
- Midge Ware as Myra
- Judy Brubaker as Valdra
- Carol Brewster as Tennus
- Autumn Russell as Cleo (as Autumn Rice)
- Lyle Talbot as Col. Loring
- Montgomery Pittman as Prof. Warren
- Miriam Kaylor as Nurse Edmunds
Production
Filmed in a week. Dinosaur special effects lifted from One Million BC. Volcanic eruption was stock footage.[4]
Reception
In 1986, the film was featured in an episode of the Canned Film Festival.[5] TV Guide found the film reflected its minuscule budget and short shoot time.[6] The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction found the movie mediocre.[4]
References
- "Untamed Women (1952)". 2.bfi.org.uk. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
- Untamed Women plot summary at imdb Retrieved on July 24, 2007
- "SFE: Untamed Women". Sf-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
- Margulies, Lee (June 10, 1986). "'Canned Film Festival' on TV, Worst of the Big Screen On Its Way". Los Angeles Times. p. 10. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
- "Untamed Women". TVGuide.com. Retrieved January 7, 2022.