Black Mama White Mama (1973) Movie Review

Black Mama White Mama is a 1973 exploitation action movie that belongs to the subgenre of Women In Prison films. Distributed by American International Pictures and produced by John Ashley and Eddie Romero (The Woman Hunt, Savage Sisters), who also directed the film, it was one of several action flicks produced by American filmmakers but shot in the Philippines. Director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Caged Heat, Crazy Mama) wrote the original concept for the movie with his partner Joe Viola (Bionic Woman, The Hot Box, T.J. Hooker, Cagney & Lacey) and it was basically a female remake of The Defiant Ones (1958), tackling subjects such as women's liberation, racial tensions and left-wing guerrillas. Eventually, screenwriter H.R. Christian developed the film from there. Nowadays it is considered a fundamental piece on Blaxploitation cinema, low budget genre cinema and Women In Prison cinema.

Lee Daniels (Pam Grier) is a prostitute transported to a tropical women's prison where she meets Karen Brent (Margaret Markov), the girlfriend of a revolutionary guerrilla leader. In the can they suffer the wrath of lesbian authoritarian guards and the harassment of fellow prisoners. There's a certain tension between the two and their clashes made them end up in the hot box as punishment. When Karen's boyfriend, and his rebel soldiers, intercepts a bus transferring the girls to a maximum-security prison, the girls end up on the run chained together. Now they must fight to survive as the authorities and a gang hired by the army to hunt them are on their tail.

A surprisingly thoughtful and precise exploration of the sociopolitical climate, the film uses the metaphor of "chained together by the man" to its full exploitation and narrative potential. The sordid thrills one can expect are here but they don't degrade the film as they add to the filthy environment and the overall analogy of oppression and abuse but in a playful and entertaining way that helps to explore these ideas. A good marriage of an outrageous tone that's well handled to be sober and focused on its development.

Some supporting actors also add to the film, an example is the joyful Sid Haig with his humorous but fitting attitude and demeanor. Pam Grier plays a very grounded character that gets rid of any type of stereotype or exaggeration, not unlike her usual roles but slightly more rough and grungy. Markovis also does a serviceable job as the white girl.

The sleaze factor isn't as increased as in some of the other Women In Prison movies from the Philippines. However, the goods are delivered when the time comes and the pacing in the first act is almost unrelenting as the narrative focuses on the pair of girls, but once they get loose in the jungle and other subplots start forming the film kind of drags. Eddie Romero's direction is as functional and even as dry as always, but at several points this simple style achieves an intense and clear exactness that drives the film forward with good rhythm.

A very recommended exploitation film with a relevant theme and all the hardcore stuff in grindhouse films you expect.