Review of Women in Revolt (1971) by James G — 16 Aug 2007

Of Andy Warhol and director Paul Morrissey's semi-improvised observational farces looking at Manhattan lowlife, Women In Revolt has the closest to something resembling plots and character development, being a look at three girls from different backgrounds who are fed up of feeling used by men and set up a women's lib group called PIGs (Politically Involved Girls).

A scene in which two PIGs administer a (fully trousered, bizarrely) enema on a workman in the street suggests that John Waters-style outre comedy will follow, but instead it follows the girls' respective paths to self-destruction.

It's a really messy film in all senses of the word, but Jackie Curtiss holds his own throughout, with superior improvisational skills preventing scenes from collapsing entirely, not to mention a gift for abstract dialogue that suits her analytical character, and Candy Darling has a feminine vulnerability and some tart one-liners of the kind not heard in films after 1950! Holly Woodlawn's contribution is negligle as she is so obviously wasted she sabotages every scene of any potential, save for a great scene in her flat with Jackie where she's pretty together.

There are some pretty good, quotable and funny lines, it's almost a proper movie! As an ordinary film this would rate a 1 but it is what it is, take it or leave it, so I give it 5.