The Student Nurses

I rented a copy of this from my local Blockbuster expecting nothing much but the usual amount of T & A and sex. But after I watched it, I was surprised by how thoughtful it was, that it was about something after all.

I'm not going to go into the plot, because I think it's more effective if you enter into this film cold, knowing nothing about it.

This was the first film produced by Roger Corman's New World Pictures. Knowing Corman, I had figured that it would be low budget, but look like it cost more. I was right. Filmed on a budget of 150,000 it looks like it cost 1 million dollars.

The video box makes this film look like a sex romp. Anyone watching this film for sex alone is bound to be disappointed. This is a smart, sensitive film that deals with serious issues such as abortion, protests, independent living and moral conflict. One possible reason for this is "The Student Nurses" was directed by Stephanie Rothman, a woman. Therefore, it ends up being less sleazy and exploitative than if it had been directed by a man. Most exploitation films are sleazy, no brainers. It's great to see an exploitation film that makes you think when you finish seeing it.

This is an early entry into what became a veritable genre of low-budget exploitation movies focusing on a group of sexy young women working as nurses, teachers, flight attendants, models etc. These movies offered some sop towards the women's liberation movement of the era, but were usually far more interested in liberating the gorgeous actresses in them from their clothing. As you might expect, this movie is about the lives and loves of student nurses. The blonde is torn between gynecology and psychology (and two handsome doctors that work in each field). The Hispanic girl (Brioni Ferrell) gets involved with a Chicano activist and ends up on the lam from the police. The sensitive redhead falls in love with a terminally ill patient. And the hippie girl (Barbara Leigh) goes to a "love-in", drops acid, and gets pregnant after a one-night stand with a hippie creep.

This is definitely a pretty dated movie. There is a whole abortion subplot that seems pretty jarring by today's standards (but are things really so much better today in movies where everybody has lots of sex but nobody ever seems to get pregnant and has to make these hard choices?) The director of this was the underrated Stephanie Rothman who directed stuff like "The Velvet Vampire" and "Sweet Sugar". Rothman has never gotten her due as a great female director because she never really emerged from the Corman exploitation school, but then she also never sold out like Penelope Spheeris or Katherine Bigelow (who started out with stuff like "Decline of Western Civilization" and "Near Dark", but ended up making the worst Hollywood crap imaginable after they finally "made it"). This is one of Rothman's first movies, and definitely not her best, but I always have time for one of her movies.

The most recognizable actress here is probably Barbara Leigh who was once slated to be "Vampirella" in a tragically aborted Hammer production. Leigh is absolutely gorgeous, but is much more famous for her many celebrity love affairs (Elvis, Steve McQueen, ad infinitum) than any acting she ever did. She does have a great LSD freakout scene on a beach here (and it helps to no small extent that she's naked the whole time). My personal favorite though was Brioni Farrell, who regrettably was the only one of the quartet not to get naked. Actually though, I wouldn't really recommend this as a nudie/soft porn movie, but I would recommend it to anybody that digs 70's exploitation flicks.

This first movie in a set of five "Nurses" films, starts with four young women living together and working at a local hospital with the expectation of becoming nurses in the near future. Even though "Lynn" (Brioni Farrell) is almost raped by a patient she maintains her compassionate attitude towards those less fortunate and as a result eventually becomes involved with a militant activist which seriously threatens her career. "Sharon" (Elaine Giftos) also has great empathy and this leads her to develop feelings for a terminally ill patient. "Phred" (Karen Carlson) on the other hand is more self-involved and knows exactly what she wants. Unfortunately, she has a strict set of rules which may tend to cause obstacles for her. Last, but not least, is "Priscilla" (Barbara Leigh) who I think is the prettiest of them all but unlike Phred seems much more Bohemian and as a result she finds herself getting mixed up with a drug dealer who cares only about himself. This causes problems, not just for her, but for her three roommates as well. At any rate, rather than reveal any more of this movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was an interesting "sexploitation film" which manages to portray a period in American history which was both odd and short-lived. Additionally, although it may have been marketed as being a bit risqué when it first came out the fact is that, while there is certainly some nudity, this film is relatively tame by today's standards. Now that's not to say that this film is appropriate for a general television audience by any means. However, those expecting something really explicit or on the cutting edge may be somewhat disappointed. I rate it as about average and recommend it to those who enjoy films related to the counter-culture movement during the 60's or drive-in exploitation films in general. Followed a year later by "Private Duty Nurses".

I was in Grade 9 when this movie came out in 1970. I always remembered it, as the ads in the local paper featured a pouty young nurse with her uniform falling off her shoulders. Pretty hot stuff for a junior high school student in Western Canada in 1970! Naturally, I couldn't go see it, as it was rated "restricted adult", and in the years after the ardour faded and I never got around to viewing it until recently.

Thanks to good ol' cable and their willingness to screen almost anything, I finally got a chance to view this 'hot' artifact of my adolesence. The result, a chance to drift down memory lane and view a classic early 70's youth flic.

The plot needs not be repeated here, as the title basically says it all. The student nurses are young, attractive, rebellious, and, of course, sexually liberated. Various turgid plot devices keep things going between romps in bed. Sundry nude scenes help remind us how actresses looked prior to the era of breast implants. Everybody is groovy, everything is cool, except when 'the man' representing adult authority rears his ugly head.

In spite of the above, though, I couldn't help but like this film. Perhaps it's my age, but it personifies an era that seems so much more innocent and fun than the slasher flics or hard edged teenage exploitation films of today. Soft drugs, unprotected sex, and a basic 'nice' approach to life personifies the earnest strivings of the Student Nurses, and captures a side of the late '60's and early '70's that actually did exist for a few years. I was too young to participate, but I witnessed it, and like many boomers, I mourn it's passing.

See the flic if you get a chance. If you're over 40, it'll bring back memories. If you're under 30, you'll get a chance to see the warmer, softer side of the 60's that your parents remember.

5 out of 10 for nostalgia.

IMDb mark: 3

This is a '70s type of film, all the way. Even though it was produced by Roger Corman's company, I don't think it is exactly the type of film people expect when they hear his name. Very likely, this blandness, as some might call it, has something to do with the fact that a woman directed the movie.

-Cast: I only heard of Elaine Giftos, whom I saw in a couple of episodes of 'Three's Company'. Other than her, I have never heard of any of the others. 2/20

-Nudity: I think Phred is the blond one; she is nude three times. Priscilla has the best nude scene, however. And Sharon is briefly topless, also. 14/20

-Ending: I wasn't crazy about the ending at all. Of course, taste varies. 4/15

-Acting: The acting in Corman's movies is usually very cheesy. So, maybe it's not surprising that it seemed cheesy here, too. 2/11

-Plot: Here are these 4 nurses, who are studying to become nurses. Dumb, isn't it? While doing so, they work and play, get tangled with the wrong people and, naturally, get involved with men. Each one of the four has like her own subplot. 2/10

-Theme: Don't mix business with pleasure. At least, that's what I make of it. 4/10

-Soundtrack: I couldn't say I liked it. 2/10

-Genre: This is a drama. 1/4

-->Overall: 31/100

Apart from the fact that the nurses are easy on the eyes, I couldn't possibly see why anyone would be compelled to watch this movie. It's a really bad sort of drama. From Swordlord, 2 swords down!