Le gladiatrici (1963)

Director:

Antonio Leonviola

Writers:

Antonio Leonviola (story)
Fabio Piccioni (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 August 1963 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Action

Plot:

A race of Amazon warriors is enslaving the men of a country, and the mighty Thor is called upon to help them regain their freedom. |

Plot Keywords:

Thor | Cat | Yoke On Shoulders | Conspiracy | Monkey

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Susy Andersen	...	Tamar
Joe Robinson	...	Taur / Thor
Harry Baird	...	Ubaratutu
Janine Hendy	...	La Regina nera
Maria Fiore	...	Yamad
Alberto Cevenini	...	Siros
Tony Ante
Robert Baca
Anna Majurec
Claudia Capone	...	Agarit
Carla Foscari	...	Ghebel Gor

Also Known As:

The Amazon Women (UK) (censored version)
Thor and the Amazon Women (USA)
Women Gladiators (UK)

Runtime:

UK:90 min | USA:84 min | 95 min (director's cut)

Country:

Italy

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Ceria, Trieste, Yugoslavia

Company:

Coronet Film

Trivia:

Filmed back-to-back with Taur, il re della forza bruta (1963)

Movie Connections:

Follows Taur, il re della forza bruta (1963)

Two Hunks, Many Amazons

In this unusual sci fi/ancient warriors flick, it is the women who dominate the Kingdom, enslaving the men and any women who disagree with their tyranny. Queen Nera is searching for the man destined to overthrow her if he outshines 101 Amazon warriors in a contest of sheer strength, who turns out to be Thor (Joe Robinson), accompanied by his sidekick, black slave Ubaratutu (Harry Baird). Both are muscle hunks. Lovely Tamar (Susie Anderson), whose father was the rightful ruler of the kingdom but like others was overrun and killed by the queen and her Amazon warriors, is seeking to restore his throne to her adolescent brother.

Women who disagree with the queen must fight each other as gladiatrices, while the men join Amazon warriors as guards or are kept dehumanizingly in caves. Tamar and her brother are captured, while Thor and Ubaratutu come to the rescue. The queen has her men as temporary husbands before disposing of them nastily when she is tired of them, and she seduces Ubaratutu after he is captured. We are treated to some amusing muscle displays by Ubarututu before the black queen (she reminds one of Eartha Kitt) preceding the sudden appearance of Thor, who insists to Ubaratutu that he should not trust her. Both are taken prisoner. The queen declares it is women who should rule, but a chief henchwomen confides privately to prisoner Tamar that she agrees with Tamar that rule and force are for men, that they deprive women of their softer side. It is up to Tamar and Thor to save the day.

Phew, such a plot could only be in an Italian-made movie! The visuals are excellent, with nice scenic backdrop, and the story does not drag. The acting may not be great, but the actors have only the wooden characters of the genre to put anything into. Despite the title, it is Tamar rather than Thor who is the chief protagonist, and she is a commanding presence throughout. Women don't have to feel cheated by the theme: to each his or her place, but the women become more human again. Fun to watch, not to be taken seriously.