Black Mama, White Mama

Our Rating: L Factor: Minor lesbian content Short Take: Pam Grier (‘The L Word’) stars in this classic women in prison film. Cheesy, trashy, good fun. Alternate Titles:
Year: 1973 Duration: 83 min Language: USA, Philippines/English MPAA: R	Director: Eddie Romero Writer: H.R. Christian, Joe Viola Starring: Pam Grier, Margaret Markov, Sid Haig, Lynn Borden, Zaldy Zshornack, Laurie Burton, Eddie Garcia, Alona Alegre, Dindo Fernando, Vic Diaz, Wendy Green, Lotis Key, Alfonso Carvajal, Bruno Punzalan, Subas Herrero

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In the first five minutes of this classic 1970s women in prison film, a new batch of prisoners is booked into a Filipino jail and sent to the showers. Matron Densmore (Lynn Borden) hides and masturbates as she watches the inmates bathe.

That night, Densmore chooses prostitute Lee Daniels (Pam Grier, Foxy Brown, ‘The L Word’) for a sexual tryst, and when Lee refuses, she escapes with a cut lip when Warden Logan (Laurie Burton) intervenes. Instead, fellow inmate Karen Brent (Margaret Markov) goes with Densmore to gain favor with her. Turns out the warden and the matron are lovers as well.

Later when Lee and Karen are being transported to another facility, the two are chained together for security. They escape with the help of Karen’s revolutionary colleagues, but remain chained as they make their way across the countryside, fighting with each other while they evade the police and Lee’s pimp.

Cheesy, trashy, with plenty of topless women and ‘jive ass’ dialog from Grier, this B movie is good, ridiculous fun. Co-written by Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Caged Heat). (AB)