Captive Wild Woman (1943)

An insane scientist doing experimentation in glandular research becomes obsessed with transforming a female gorilla into a human...even though it costs human life.

Director:

Edward Dmytryk

Writers:

Ted Fithian (original story), Neil P. Varnick (original story)

Stars:

John Carradine, Evelyn Ankers, Milburn Stone

Cast

Cast overview:
John Carradine	...	Dr. Sigmund Walters
Evelyn Ankers	...	Beth Colman
Milburn Stone	...	Fred Mason
Lloyd Corrigan	...	John Whipple
Fay Helm	...	Nurse Strand
Martha Vickers	...	Dorothy Colman (as Martha MacVicar)
Vince Barnett	...	Curley
Paul Fix	...	Gruen
Acquanetta	...	Paula Dupree -

Storyline

Dr. Sigmund Walters, an expert in glandular research, becomes convinced that his experiments involving lower animal species cannot succeed, so he arranges to have a very intelligent female gorilla kidnapped from the circus and brought to his lab. Using the glands of a patient and the brain of his faithful nurse, he performs transplant surgery on the intelligent simian. When the ape morphs into exotic and sexy Paula Dupree, the experiment seems to be s success. She even finds a place for herself at her old circus assisting lion tamer Fred Mason. Unfortunately when aroused by desire and jealousy over the affections of Mason, her delicate metabolism breaks down, and she regresses to her ape form.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | lymph node | camp | campy | lion tamer | 

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Taglines:

Torn by strange desires! (One-sheet poster).

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Part of the Son of Shock package of 20 titles released to television in 1958, which followed the original Shock Theater release of 52 features one year earlier.

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Goofs

When Beth first greets Fred on the dock at the very start of the film, her lips don't move.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dockworker: Clear the dock! Clear the dock!

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Connections

Featured in Svengoolie: Captive Wild Woman (2015)

User Reviews

Captive Wild Woman (1943) **1/2

John Carradine's first lead in a horror picture. He's a doctor and authority on glandular diseases who becomes interested in an extra-intelligent gorilla named Cheela. His plan is to use the blood of one of his human female patients to transfuse into the ape and turn her into a beautiful young woman (played by Acquanetta). The typical problem is that the ape tendencies keep on creeping back. This performer Acquanetta made several other films after this one, but she was always a terrible actress whenever she opened her mouth to speak a line. However, she pulls off the role as a human with primitive origins fairly well enough here by keeping mute and using her eyes and limited facial expressions. Sometimes things get a bit bogged down by an over-reliance on animal stock footage from THE BIG CAGE, but the presence of Carradine's mad doctor and a different breed of "girl monster" keep this a serviceable entry in Universal's horror series. **1/2 out of ****

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 June 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

La mujer fiera

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

61 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1