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{{Short description|1971 film by Jack Hill}}
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{{Infobox Film
{{Use American English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
⚫
{{Infobox film
| name = The Big Doll House
| name = The Big Doll House
| image = Big doll house.jpg
| image = Big doll house.jpg

| image_size =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Jack Hill]]
| director = [[Jack Hill]]
| producer = Jane Schaffer
| producer = Jane Schaffer
| writer = Don Spencer
| screenplay = Don Spencer
| narrator =
| narrator =
| starring = {{plainlist|
| starring = Judy Brown<br>[[Roberta Collins]]<br>[[Pam Grier]]<br>[[Sid Haig]]<br>[[Christiane Schmidtmer]]
*Judy Brown
*[[Roberta Collins]]
*[[Pam Grier]]
*Brooke Mills
*[[Pat Woodell]]
*[[Sid Haig]]
}}
| music = Hall Daniels
| music = Hall Daniels
| cinematography = Fred Conde
| cinematography = Fred Conde
| editing = Cliff Fenneman
| editing = Cliff Fenneman
| distributor = [[New World Pictures]]
| distributor = New World Pictures
| studio = [[New World Pictures]]
| released = April 30, 1971
| released = {{Film date|1971|04|30}}
| runtime = 95 minutes
| runtime = 95 minutes
| country = United States<br>Philippines
| country = [[United States]]<br>[[Philippines]]
| language = English
| budget = $125,000<ref name="Morris">[http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/27/newworldpictures1.php Gary Morris, 'Roger Corman's New World Pictures: Notes toward a Lexicon' ''Bright Lights Film Journal'', January 2000]</ref>
| budget = $125,000<ref name="Morris">[http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/27/newworldpictures1.php Gary Morris, 'Roger Corman's New World Pictures: Notes toward a Lexicon' ''Bright Lights Film Journal'', January 2000]</ref> or $200,000<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/TrashCompactor0205Starbrite/Trash_Compactor_0205_%28Starbrite%29#page/n25/mode/1up/search/%22john+ashley%22|title=The John Ashley Filmography|magazine=Trash Compactor|edition=Volume 2 No. 5|page=26|year=1990|first=John|last=Lamont}}</ref>
⚫
| gross = $10,000,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1971/0BDHO.php|publisher=The Numbers|title=The Big Doll House, Box Office Information|accessdate=June 24, 2012}}</ref>

⚫
| gross = $10 million<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1971/0BDHO.php|publisher=The Numbers|title=The Big Doll House, Box Office Information|accessdate=June 24, 2012}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''The Big Doll House''''' is a 1971 [[women in prison]] film starring [[Pam Grier]], Judy Brown, [[Roberta Collins]], Brooke Mills, and Pat Woodell. The film follows six female inmates throughout daily life in a gritty, unidentified supra-tropical prison. Later the same year the film ''[[Women in Cages]]'' featured a similar story and setting, much the same cast, and was shot in the same abandoned prison buildings. A non-sequel follow-up, titled ''[[The Big Bird Cage]]'', was released in 1972.<ref>{{IMDb title|0066830}}</ref>
'''''The Big Doll House''''' is a 1971 American [[Women in prison film|women-in-prison film]] starring [[Pam Grier]], Judy Brown, [[Roberta Collins]], Brooke Mills, and [[Pat Woodell]]. The film follows six female inmates through daily life in a gritty, unidentified tropical prison. Later the same year, the film ''[[Women in Cages]]'' featured a similar story and setting and much the same cast, and was shot in the same abandoned prison buildings. A nonsequel follow-up, titled ''[[The Big Bird Cage]]'', was released in 1972.<ref>{{IMDb title|0066830}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==
Collier (Brown) enters [[prison]], having been found guilty of killing her husband. She is introduced to the beautiful occupants of her cell, in for crimes ranging from political insurgency to [[heroin]] addiction. The women often clash, which leads to their [[torture]] by sadistic guard Lucian (Kathryn Loder). The torture ceremonies are viewed by an impassive cloaked figure.
Collier (Brown) enters [[prison]], having been found guilty of killing her husband. She is introduced to the beautiful occupants of her cell, doing time for crimes ranging from political insurgency to [[heroin]] addiction. The women often clash, which leads to their [[torture]] by sadistic guard Lucian (Kathryn Loder). The torture ceremonies are viewed by an impassive cloaked figure.


Collier's cellmates Alcott and Bodine (Collins and Woodell) plan to escape. Collier and another cellmate Ferina (Gina Stuart) agree to go along. Assisting is their other lesbian cellmate Grear ([[Pam Grier]]), though there are doubts Grear's heroin addict girlfriend Harrad (Brooke Mills) will be equipped to escape.
Collier's cellmates Alcott and Bodine (Collins and Woodell) plan to escape. Collier and another cellmate Ferina (Gina Stuart) agree to go along. Assisting is their other lesbian cellmate Grear ([[Pam Grier]]), though doubts exist Grear's heroin-addict girlfriend Harrad (Brooke Mills) will be equipped to escape.


Ferina, Alcott and Bodine break from the solitary confinement sauna and take their revenge on Lucian. The escapees wield guns, attitude, and sexuality to free themselves.
Ferina, Alcott, and Bodine break from the solitary-confinement sauna and take their revenge on Lucian. The escapees wield guns, attitude, and sexuality to free themselves.


During their escape they round up various personnel from the prison as hostages, taking elegant prison warden Miss Dietrich ([[Christiane Schmidtmer]]), sympathetic prison medic Dr Phillips ([[Jack Davis (actor)|Jack Davis]]), and two local men regularly allowed access to the prison to sell market produce, Harry ([[Sid Haig]]) and Fred (Jerry Franks).
During their escape, they round up various personnel from the prison as hostages, taking elegant prison warden Miss Dietrich ([[Christiane Schmidtmer]]), sympathetic prison medic Dr Phillips ([[Jack Davis (actor)|Jack Davis]]), and two local men regularly allowed access to the prison to sell market produce, Harry ([[Sid Haig]]) and Fred (Jerry Franks).


==Cast==
==Cast==
Line 41: Line 54:


==Production==
==Production==
This was one of the first films made by [[B movie]] giant [[Roger Corman]] for his company New World Pictures. According to [[Stephanie Rothman]], Corman originally purchased a screenplay by James Gordon White, which he then asked to be rewritten. Rothman says she, her husband [[Charles S. Swartz]] and New World story editor Frances Doel pitched story proposals to Jack Hill, who did not like any of them. They then plotted a new storyline themselves and hired Don Spencer to write the screenplay. Rothman also says that Corman wanted her to direct the picture but she turned it down so Corman hired Jack Hill instead.<ref>[http://templeofschlock.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/stephanie-rothman-sets-record-straight.html 'Stephanie Rothman Sets Record Straight', ''Temple of Schlock'' July 31, 2010]</ref>
This was one of the first films made by [[B movie]] giant [[Roger Corman]] for his company New World Pictures. According to [[Stephanie Rothman]], Corman originally purchased a screenplay by James Gordon White, which he then asked to be rewritten. Rothman says her husband [[Charles S. Swartz]], New World story editor Frances Doel, and she pitched story proposals to Jack Hill, who did not like any of them. They then plotted a new storyline themselves and hired Don Spencer to write the screenplay. Rothman also says that Corman wanted her to direct the picture, but she turned it down, so Corman hired Jack Hill, instead.<ref>[http://templeofschlock.blogspot.com.au/2010/07/stephanie-rothman-sets-record-straight.html 'Stephanie Rothman Sets Record Straight', ''Temple of Schlock'' July 31, 2010]</ref>


[[John Ashley (actor)|John Ashley]] says Corman originally intended to make the film in Puerto Rico but he persuaded them to make it in the Philippines. Ashley and his partners went on to put up the above the line part of the budget, with Corman providing the rest.<ref>Tom Weaver, "Interview with John Ashley", ''Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup'', McFarland 1988 p 43</ref>
[[John Ashley (actor)|John Ashley]] says Corman originally intended to make the film in Puerto Rico, but he persuaded them to make it in the Philippines. Ashley and his partners went on to put up the above-the-line part of the budget, with Corman providing the rest.<ref>Tom Weaver, "Interview with John Ashley", ''Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup'', McFarland 1988 p 43</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-nine-lives-of-john-ashley/url=https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-nine-lives-of-john-ashley/|magazine=Diabolique Magazine|title=A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley|date=December 2019}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The tag line "Their bodies were caged, but not their desires. They would do anything for a man. Or to him." encapsulates the rather contradictory air expressed by the inmates as they yearn for freedom of multiple kinds; sexual, political, and perhaps ideological — while simultaneously acting as [[agent provocateur]]. As a drive in film of the first order, it retains an energetic over an intellectual bent, and thus avoids serious consideration of or accuracy in portraying the actual situation of female American prisoners, instead fulfilling the genre characteristics of Hollywood's ''women in prison'' films. Director Jack Hill later made ''[[Coffy]]'', a [[blaxploitation]] film with Grier which is based on personal vendetta.


==Reception==
==Reception==
The film earned $3 million in rentals.<ref name="roger">Roger Corman & Jim Jerome, ''How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime'', Muller, 1990 p 183</ref>
The film earned $3 million in movie rentals.<ref name="roger">Roger Corman & Jim Jerome, ''How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime'', Muller, 1990 p 183</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of American films of 1971]]


==References==
==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Doll House, The}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Doll House, The}}
[[Category:1971 films]]
[[Category:1971 films]]
[[Category:1970s crime films]]
[[Category:1970s prison drama films]]
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:1970s English-language films]]
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:American exploitation films]]
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[[Category:Exploitation films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jack Hill]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jack Hill]]
[[Category:Films shot in the Philippines]]
[[Category:Philippine drama films]]
[[Category:Philippine films]]
[[Category:1970s exploitation films]]
[[Category:Prison films]]
[[Category:American prison films]]
[[Category:Women in prison films]]
[[Category:Women in prison films]]
[[Category:New World Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films shot in the Philippines]]
[[Category:American sexploitation films]]
[[Category:American crime thriller films]]
[[Category:American LGBT-related films]]
[[Category:LGBT-related thriller films]]
[[Category:Films about prison escapes]]
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[[Category:1970s American films]]

Latest revision as of 23:50, 20 December 2023

The Big Doll House
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJack Hill
Screenplay byDon Spencer
Produced byJane Schaffer
Starring
CinematographyFred Conde
Edited byCliff Fenneman
Music byHall Daniels
Production
company
Distributed byNew World Pictures
Release date
  • April 30, 1971 (1971-04-30)
Running time
95 minutes
CountriesUnited States
Philippines
LanguageEnglish
Budget$125,000[1] or $200,000[2]
Box office$10 million[3]

The Big Doll House is a 1971 American women-in-prison film starring Pam Grier, Judy Brown, Roberta Collins, Brooke Mills, and Pat Woodell. The film follows six female inmates through daily life in a gritty, unidentified tropical prison. Later the same year, the film Women in Cages featured a similar story and setting and much the same cast, and was shot in the same abandoned prison buildings. A nonsequel follow-up, titled The Big Bird Cage, was released in 1972.[4]

Plot[edit]

Collier (Brown) enters prison, having been found guilty of killing her husband. She is introduced to the beautiful occupants of her cell, doing time for crimes ranging from political insurgency to heroin addiction. The women often clash, which leads to their torture by sadistic guard Lucian (Kathryn Loder). The torture ceremonies are viewed by an impassive cloaked figure.

Collier's cellmates Alcott and Bodine (Collins and Woodell) plan to escape. Collier and another cellmate Ferina (Gina Stuart) agree to go along. Assisting is their other lesbian cellmate Grear (Pam Grier), though doubts exist Grear's heroin-addict girlfriend Harrad (Brooke Mills) will be equipped to escape.

Ferina, Alcott, and Bodine break from the solitary-confinement sauna and take their revenge on Lucian. The escapees wield guns, attitude, and sexuality to free themselves.

During their escape, they round up various personnel from the prison as hostages, taking elegant prison warden Miss Dietrich (Christiane Schmidtmer), sympathetic prison medic Dr Phillips (Jack Davis), and two local men regularly allowed access to the prison to sell market produce, Harry (Sid Haig) and Fred (Jerry Franks).

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

This was one of the first films made by B movie giant Roger Corman for his company New World Pictures. According to Stephanie Rothman, Corman originally purchased a screenplay by James Gordon White, which he then asked to be rewritten. Rothman says her husband Charles S. Swartz, New World story editor Frances Doel, and she pitched story proposals to Jack Hill, who did not like any of them. They then plotted a new storyline themselves and hired Don Spencer to write the screenplay. Rothman also says that Corman wanted her to direct the picture, but she turned it down, so Corman hired Jack Hill, instead.[5]

John Ashley says Corman originally intended to make the film in Puerto Rico, but he persuaded them to make it in the Philippines. Ashley and his partners went on to put up the above-the-line part of the budget, with Corman providing the rest.[6][7]

Reception[edit]

The film earned $3 million in movie rentals.[8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Gary Morris, 'Roger Corman's New World Pictures: Notes toward a Lexicon' Bright Lights Film Journal, January 2000
  2. ^ Lamont, John (1990). "The John Ashley Filmography". Trash Compactor (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26.
  3. ^ "The Big Doll House, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  4. ^ The Big Doll House at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ 'Stephanie Rothman Sets Record Straight', Temple of Schlock July 31, 2010
  6. ^ Tom Weaver, "Interview with John Ashley", Interviews with B Science Fiction and Horror Movie Makers: Writers, Producers, Directors, Actors, Moguls and Makeup, McFarland 1988 p 43
  7. ^ Vagg, Stephen (December 2019). "A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley". Diabolique Magazine.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ Roger Corman & Jim Jerome, How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime, Muller, 1990 p 183

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Big_Doll_House&oldid=1190992375"