Rio 70 (1969) Die sieben Männer der Sumuru (original title)

Director:

Jesus Franco

Writers:

Franz Eichhorn (uncredited in German credits)
Bruno Leder (uncredited in Spanish credits)
(more)

Release Date:

14 March 1969 (West Germany)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Sumuru, the beautiful leader of the all-female kingdom of Femina, plans to use her women to take over the world.

Plot Keywords:

Summary Execution | Female Female Kiss | Dead Women In Uniform | Femme Fatale | Cat Suit

Cast

Shirley Eaton	...	Sumuru
Richard Wyler	...	Jeff Sutton
George Sanders	...	Sir Masius
Maria Rohm	...	Leslye
Herbert Fleischmann	...	Carl
Marta Reves	...	Ulla Rossini (as Martha Reves)
Elisa Montés	...	Irene (as Eliza Montes)
Walter Rilla	...	Ennio Rossini
Beni Cardoso	...	Yana Yuma (as Beny Cardoso)
Valentina Godoy	...	Amazon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Geraldo José Torres Camargo
Maria de Lourdes
Yuma Duarte
Cornélio dos Santos Farias
Alberto Land
Paulo Leitão
Elídio Nunes
Brunildes Fernandes Queiroz
Edson Freitas Silva
Jesus Franco	...	Guitar Player (uncredited)
Decio Leal	...	(uncredited)
Dilma Lóes	...	(uncredited)
Oswaldo Matesco	...	(uncredited)
Fernando Reski	...	(uncredited)
Roberval Rocha	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Jesus Franco		(as Jess Franco)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Franz Eichhorn		uncredited in German credits
Bruno Leder		uncredited in Spanish credits (as Karl Leder)
Sax Rohmer		characters
Harry Alan Towers		(as Peter Welbeck)

Produced by
Tíbor Reves	....	executive producer: Spain
Harry Alan Towers	....	executive producer
Louis M. Heyward	....	co-producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Daniel White

Cinematography by
Manuel Merino

Film Editing by
Allan Morrison		(as Alan Morrison)
Karin Vietinghoff		(German version)
Ángel Serrano		(uncredited in German version)

Set Decoration by
Peter Manhardt

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
César Cavalcanti	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Aloisio Viana	....	sound

Other crew
Juan Estelrich	....	coordinator
Manfred R. Köhler	....	dialogue director (German version)
Tíbor Reves	....	spanish executive producer

Production Companies

• Ada Films
• Terra-Filmkunst
• Udastex Films

Distributors

• Fine Products (1972) (USA) (theatrical) (as Mothers of America)
• Andrés Salvador Molina (Spain)
• Blue Underground (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• D.C. Films Andrés Salvador Moli (Spain)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Sikrus Video (unknown) (Greece) (VHS)
• Tropic Twilight (video)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Die sieben Männer der Sumuru" - West Germany (original title)
"The Girl from Rio" - UK, USA
"Future Woman" - USA (bootleg title)
"Future Women" - USA (TV title)
"Mothers of America" - USA (poster title)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

West Germany | Spain | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Australia:M | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Ada Films

Goofs:

Continuity: After the assault helicopters land, three women guards are shot dead and drop onto the pavement outside of a building, as the invaders go inside of the building. When the invaders come back out out of the building, the bodies of the women are gone.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Rolling in Rio (2004) (V)

Jess Franco, the Genuine Successor of Ed Wood

Jeff Sutton (Richard Wyler) arrives in Rio de Janeiro with a suitcase with 10 million dollars, and the powerful mobster Sir Masius (George Sanders) sends his henchman Carl (Herbert Fleischmann) with his gangsters to follow Jeff and get the money. Jeff has one affair with the manicure Leslye (Maria Rohm) and succeeds to escape from Sir Masius' mobsters.

Meanwhile, Sumuru (Shirley Eaton), the leader of the women of the City of Femina that wants to defeat the men and take over the world, captures Jeff and brings him to Femina expecting to get the money. Sumuru has several prisoners locked in glass cages, including Ulla Rossini (Martha Reves), who knows Jeff Sutton. Jeff discloses to Ulla that his arrival is part of a plan to save her from Sumuru. Jeff Sutton becomes a pawn in the middle of the war between Masius and Sumuru.

"Die Sieben Männer der Sumuru" is another crazy exploitation with free nudity of beautiful women by Jess Franco, the true successor of Ed Wood regarding bad movies, including his muse Maria Rohm. The acting, plot, fight choreography and dialogs are ridiculous, mixing a senseless spy movie with a sort of low-budget sci-fi from the 50's.

Most of the situations are laughable and ridiculous, but a criminal driving a "discreet" hearse is something that even Ed Wood had never imagined. It is sad only to see George Sanders, from "All about Eve", working in a film like that.

For a "carioca" (native of Rio de Janeiro), it is hilarious to see our Modern Art Museum transformed in the Femina; or Sumuru a.k.a. Sumitra, called Samantha in the Brazilian version released by Continental Distributor in the Trash Collection. The good points are the footages of the carnival in Rio de Janeiro and the external takes of the Wonderful City in the late 60's. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "A Garota do Rio" ("The Girl from Rio")