Swamp Women (1956)

recommended

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Absolutely brilliant

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Number 8 of the 56 films directed by Roger Corman, this offering from bottom-of-the-barrel Woolner Brothers, certainly holds our interest despite predictable plotting and somewhat confined action. Swamp Women is actually right on target as a title as, after the movie's initial prison scenes finally flicker off, we never seem to get away from that damn swamp. Nevertheless, all the repetitive swamp footage is certainly more interesting that the right-out-of- place, 1930's stock carnival material with which the movie's opening is mercilessly padded out in order to bring it up to a standard "B"- feature length. As for the "women" we are promised by the film's title, I've no complaints at all on this score – especially as the women have all been thoughtful enough to pack of pair of extremely tight, super-short shorts into their escape gear. Marie Windsor is the pick of the bunch, but Carole Mathews is equally charismatic. Whatever happened to her? Ah! As early as 1950 she started to flirt with TV. In all, Swamp Women is definitely one for the boys!

Roger Corman quickie, seemingly made specifically for the drive-in crowd, shot in Louisiana Bayou swamp country features statuesque Carole Mathews as Lt. Lee Hampton, undercover in a prison, hoping to secure hidden diamonds buried by con Marie Windsor's Josie Nardo. Josie's prison gang includes Vera (the sexy Beverly Garland as you've never seen her before, full of pent up rage and seething bitterness) and the sensual Marie (Susan Cummings). So Josie and her girls successfully escape prison forming a reluctant partnership with Hampton because she has a getaway car stashed nearby. The four confiscate a boat from someone who owes Josie a favor (this event is never shown) and ride into the swamp on a journey to locate the diamonds worth practically half a million dollars. Oil man Bob Matthews (Mike Connors; Mannix) and a potential fiancé (with a wealthy daddy)are also boat riding through the bayou as he is looking for land to rape (okay, maybe I'm a bit harsh), having the misfortune of coming across Josie and company when their flimsy boat takes water after a leak leaves them stranded. Taking Bob and his whimpering lady hostage, Josie and her gang decide to take them along until they find the diamonds. Corman's predecessor to the (in)famous WIP exploitation pictures Jack Hill and others would bring to life a decade later, is a hoot if you love watching tough-talking ladies who use their fists to pummel each other when the anger sets up in their bones. Seeing the girls ogle the very handsome Connors, particularly Cummings, is also a treat. But nothing compares to seeing Garland all bent out of shape her entire time on screen, often picking fights with everyone, especially Matthews, when they draw her ire. She's a spitfire, full of heated emotions and venom, and it takes very little to boil over her kettle. Windsor commands her troops, even when things get out of hand and her girls start catfighting, and remains in control until the diamonds begin to take root in the very greedy minds of Cummings and Garland who want the cache all to themselves. Meanwhile, Matthews and Connors fall in love while she tries to keep him alive as long as possible while keeping an eye on the con-women. I just love seeing sexy women, in daisy dukes (they cut their prison pants into short-shorts, obviously titillating for the more reserved 50s drive-in movie audience Corman was catering to), always at each others throats, talking trash and engaging in fisticuffs at the drop of a hat. Sure SWAMP WOMEN has its lulls (there's a hell of a lot of boat riding down the bayou, for sure and extensive footage of Mardi Gras at the beginning of the film) and relies on a ton of stock footage of Louisiana nature to give the film an authenticity, but I think fans of the aforementioned Jack Hill WIP films (and SWITCHBLADE SISTERS) will find it entertaining. And there's a lengthy fight between Matthews and Windsor at the conclusion that should be exciting if you enjoy that sort of thing (of course, I sop this up with a biscuit). You get pulling hair, Mannix fighting an alligator with only a knife, Garland up in a tree waiting to gun down the other girls, Windsor hurling a spear, and the girls taking to rolling around in the dirt when tempers flair--is this movie deserving of its poor reputation? I certainly had fun with it.

Policewoman Carole Mathews goes "undercover" to join Marie Windsor, Beverly Garland, and Jil Jarmyn in prison. The "Gang of Four" escape, and head for the local swamp, to look for some stashed diamonds. Who would hide their booty in a swamp? They take turns touching tied-up hostage Mike Connors. His girlfriend gets eaten by the alligator. Let's not beat around the bush. Stripped to its basics, "Swamp Women" was made for 1950s viewers to watch four naughty young women escape from prison, get drunk, cut off the legs of their pants, and wrestle in the swamp. Directed by Roger Corman. In color.** Swamp Women (1955) Roger Corman ~ Marie Windsor, Carole Mathews, Beverly Garland

Reportedly Roger Corman's first directorial effort, Swamp Women (oddly renamed Swamp Diamonds on the MSTK version) is great fun even without the interjected comments of the MSTK gang. Although the plot leaves much to be desired, the interplay of "Touch" Connors (later Mike of Mannix), Queen of the B's Marie Windsor and the always wonderful Beverly Garland, as the baddest of the bad girls,is worth the price of admission. When the girls cut their jeans down to short-shorts after a night of drinking (Why would they do that in a swamp with rattlers and crocs?)things really get good. The MSTK crew get a lot of laugh mileage out of Connors first name and all the down and dirty girl fighting, which is surprisingly well staged. If you get the MSTK version, don't miss the featured short "What To Do on a Date." It's a hoot!