Sunday, September 18, 2011

Movie review – “Captive Wild Woman” (1943) ***

Enormously fun piece of Universal schlock, with a good director on the way up (Edward Dmytryk), a strong cast (Evelyn Ankers, John Carradine), a new discovery (Acquanetta), and an entertainingly silly central idea: Carradine puts female glands into a gorilla, turning her into a really hot woman. Lots of footage of lions being tamed; a 4F hero (Milburn Stone) who is a lion expert, perhaps the least sexy lion tamer on screen (and very lax with safety, too); a rather touching subject matter (the gorilla's in love - it's not her fault she can't control her feelings); Crash Corrigan in a gorilla outfit; Carradine underplaying. Not as well known as the classic Universal horrors but well worth checking out.

No comments: