OUTLAW WOMEN (aka: BOOT HILL MAMAS)
(directors: Sam Newfield/Ron Ormond; screenwriter: Orville H. Hampton; cinematographer: Ellis W. Carter/Harry C. Neumann; editor: Hugh Winn; music: Walter Greene; cast: Marie Windsor (“Iron ” Mae McLeod), Richard Rober (Woody Callaway), Maria Hart (Dora), Allan Nixon ( Dr. Bob Ridgeway), Jackie Coogan (Pluto Bill), Billie House (Uncle Barney), Tom Tyler (Chillawaka Charlie), Richard Avonde (Frank Slater), Lou Lubin (Danny), Leonard Penn (Sam Bass), Brad Johnson (Chuck), Lyle Talbot (Judge Roger Dixon), Carla Balenda (Beth Larabee), Jacqueline Fontaine (Ellen Larabee); Runtime: 76; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Ron Ormond; Live Home Video (Lippert Pictures); 1952)
“A quickie novelty offbeat delusional feminist Western.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A quickie novelty offbeat delusional feminist Western, that could be viewed as a minor gem, if not taken too seriously. If you believe, it comes off as a battle of the sexes Western. The cheapie is co-directed by the prolific B film maven Sam Newfield (“Three Desperate Men”) and Ron Ormond. It’s written by Orville H. Hampton. Though implausible, it’s enjoyable mainly for being such a different kind of Western.
The man-hating gambling queen of the Paradise Saloon, “Iron ” Mae McLeod (Marie Windsor), controls the town of Las Mujeres, that’s completely run by women. Males can only enter the town to gamble at the crooked casino or must be employed by the town. Pluto Billy (Jackie Coogan) is a miner, Woody Callaway (Richard Rober) is a gambler, and Dr. Ridgeway is a physician. They are all from the nearby mining town of Silver Creek, that has gone bust.
The attractive nympho, Beth Larabee (Carla Balenda), Iron’s associate, kidnaps the doctor because the town needs one and for her own sexual reasons, the miner goes to Las Mujeres to get rich, and the gambler was once an intimate of Iron’s and goes there for possible new opportunities.
Meanwhile a vicious gang led by Frank Slater (Richard Avonde) have their eye on Las Mujeres as a place they can be partners with in the gambling business and when denied start killing the women. In a call for law and order, Woody gets elected as the new marshal, as the women are not allowed to vote. He restores the paternalistic values to the Western and eventually gets Iron to soften her heart for him.
The film’s heavy is the butch bouncer Dora (Maria Hart), who gets her kicks pushing men around.
The good premise peters out as the film is poorly executed, nevertheless it remains funny and is worth seeing for Marie Windsor and as a curio.
REVIEWED ON 1/18/2015 GRADE: B-