Mar 5, 2021

The Dirty Dolls (1973)

 


A long lost film which was only recently discovered and re-released in 2020.  Featuring some early seventies exploitation all-stars: John Alderman, Colleen Brennan, Buck Flower, and Lyllah Torena.  It's the story of a charismatic leader of a girl gang who must contend with a jewel heist gone wrong.



The film begins at a seedy dive bar.

A lone stripper does her thing against an adorned wood paneled wall...

"This car is unsafe - say 9 out of 10 mothers".  Huh?

A so-called "God Squad" enters banging tambourines and wearing prairie dresses.

Shelly (Colleen Brennan) looks a bit psychotic.

Janet (Esther Abbott) unplugs the jukebox.

Ginger (Lyllah Torena) pulls out a gun and shoots a guy.  They're not actually Jesus Freaks. 

This is actually a robbery led by Johnny (John Alderman).

Back at their hideout, they get out of their costumes.  Johnny congratulates Ginger, but she has complaints about the performance of Johnny's sister, Dee Dee (Denise Drake).

After the argument, Janet consoles Johnny.

They have sex.

Johnny lays out the plan to the four girls for his next job - a jewelry heist.

Janet and Shelly hold up the Pacific Jeweler's manager, Mr. Carmichael. 

This is fucking hilarious.  Dee Dee is disguised as an old woman wearing the worst make-up job ever... and it's for no reason whatsoever.  It serves no purpose at all.

Ginger and Dee Dee hold-up the security guard played by none other than George 'Buck' Flower


The jewelry heist begins to go awry when a woman, Ms. Fibbs (Cyndee Summers), is stuck in the elevator with them, and they're forced to bring her with them.  Also, a guard is chained to the suitcase full of diamonds, so he's forced to come along as well.

The gang brings Ms. Fibbs and the guard to their hideout and discuss what to do with them.

They hear a gunshot and presume Johnny has shot the guard.  However, he was just shooting off the suitcase chain.  Still, it's an indication that Johnny is becoming more and more unpredictable.

Dee Dee takes a liking to the captive guard.

Shelly and Janet are told to take care of Ms. Fibbs.

And so they do.



What follows is a very long scene where Ms. Fibbs is raped by Janet and Shelly. Some serious nudity and sexual content provided by  Colleen BrennanCyndee Summers, and Esther Abbott (in her only IMDb credit).


They force Ms. Fibbs' face into Shelly's crotch.


Just wow. Bravo.


Dee Dee is starting to have concerns and misgivings.  She tells Ginger to get out of the room so she can talk to her brother alone.

 A brief full frontal as Lyllah Torena gets out of bed.  Torena was amazing in And When She Was Bad... (1973) and a host of other exploitation films.  I'm not sure why she isn't currently listed on IMDb as being in this film.

Dee Dee is consoled by Johnny, and we begin to see some uncomfortably incestuous feelings brewing from beneath the surface.

Shelly brings food to the guard.  I think you can guess where this is going.


Some creative camera work.


Shelly helps Ms. Fibbs escape, giving her the keys to Johnny's car.  However, it has trouble starting - and Johnny shoots her dead.

When Johnny finds out that Shelly betrayed him, he shoots her as well.

Johnny has officially lost all his marbles.  Part of the reason for his unraveling is that his buyer is no longer interested in the suitcase full of diamonds due to the fact that the heist has become so complicated thanks to the interference of Ms. Fibbs and the guard.

Once again Dee Dee tells Ginger to get lost so that she can speak to her brother alone.  And once againe we get to watch Lyllah Torena scoot out of bed naked.



Johnny finally lets his lust for his sister loose.

She runs outside, but Johnny catches up to her, rips off her clothes and rapes her.

An unexpectedly graphic sex scene from Denise Drake in her only IMDb credit. Johnny just buries his face in his sister's bush.

Dee Dee escapes and gets the guard loose.  They run through the forest chased by Johnny.

Dee Dee is shot and killed during the skirmish.  The guard blasts Johnny as he is by his dead sister's side. THE END


The story is a bit tired; one we've seen a number of times.  So, it can feel dull at points.  However, it is elevated by bursts of sleaze that really deliver the exploitation in spades.  Plus, you have exploitation all-stars John Alderman, Colleen Brennan, Buck Flower, and Lyllah Torena, who are always fun to watch. So, while this film doesn't really bring anything new or interesting to the table, I am still very glad this trashy film was unearthed. 

★★★★★☆7/10

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