Review of Black Mama, White Mama (1973) by Scott C — 27 Mar 2015

This film blew away my expectations. Part of the appeal is admittedly its 70s "vibe." I mean, who today would use the term "mama" in this hip, sexy context? And no, neither woman appears to be a mother either. This is a mix-up of women behind bars, blaxsploitation, and the racial element from The Defiant Ones. Yet, it's even more than, and highly entertaining as well. This movie features two great female leads, both determined to overcome long odds as well as each other. It's also got four competing groups: corrupt politicians, leftist revolutionaries, thuggish bandits, and some sort of Pilipino mafia. Believe it or not. A plausible case could even be made that this is a political film, but that's just a 70s element thrown in for drama.

Of course, there's a women's prison lesbian element and an element of women being abused by criminals and the system too. It is an exploitation flick at heart. As others have claimed, this isn't Pam Grier's best work, but watch it for pure fun anyway.