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Barbed Wire Dolls

Original title: Frauengefängnis
  • 1976
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
4.4/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Barbed Wire Dolls (1976)
Conspiracy ThrillerCrimeDramaHorrorThriller

Women's prison tale, with Lina Romay as Maria who is jailed after killing her father, played by director Jess Franco, who tries to rape her. Lesbian wardens, torture, nudity, sex, insanity a... Read allWomen's prison tale, with Lina Romay as Maria who is jailed after killing her father, played by director Jess Franco, who tries to rape her. Lesbian wardens, torture, nudity, sex, insanity and conspiracy round out the formula.Women's prison tale, with Lina Romay as Maria who is jailed after killing her father, played by director Jess Franco, who tries to rape her. Lesbian wardens, torture, nudity, sex, insanity and conspiracy round out the formula.

  • Director
    • Jesús Franco
  • Writers
    • Connie Grau
    • Christine Lembach
    • Jesús Franco
  • Stars
    • Lina Romay
    • Paul Muller
    • Monica Swinn
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.4/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jesús Franco
    • Writers
      • Connie Grau
      • Christine Lembach
      • Jesús Franco
    • Stars
      • Lina Romay
      • Paul Muller
      • Monica Swinn
    • 25User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:56
    Trailer

    Photos20

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    + 16
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    Top cast17

    Edit
    Lina Romay
    Lina Romay
    • Maria
    Paul Muller
    Paul Muller
    • Dr. Moore
    • (as Paul Müller)
    • …
    Monica Swinn
    Monica Swinn
    • Prison Director
    • (as Monika Swinn)
    Roger Darton
    • Governor Milton
    Ronald Weiss
    • Warden
    Martine Stedil
    Martine Stedil
    • Bertha Contrini
    Eric Falk
    Eric Falk
    • Guard Nestor
    Peggy Markoff
    • Ingrid
    • (as Peggy Markhoff)
    • …
    Nathalie Mann
    Denis Torre
    Raymond Hardy
    • Guard José
    • (as Ray Hardy)
    Beni Cardoso
    Beni Cardoso
    • Rosaria Cortina
    Frieda Altstadt
      Madeleine Ammann
        Nathalie Chape
          Jesús Franco
          Jesús Franco
          • Maria's Father
          • (uncredited)
          Lilliane Stollberger
            • Director
              • Jesús Franco
            • Writers
              • Connie Grau
              • Christine Lembach
              • Jesús Franco
            • All cast & crew
            • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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            Storyline

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            Did you know

            Edit
            • Trivia
              Producer Erwin C. Dietrich put his faith in director Jesús Franco and left him to make the film in peace, he did not see any footage until the film was finished. When Franco screened the completed film to him, he was horrified by the quality. The shots were too blurry and no movie lighting was used, it was rough and raw. Franco defended the film and explained it was the style he was going for. Still dissatisfied, Dietrich told Franco it was a terrible film and wasn't sure if he would be able to sell it to theaters. However, much to Dietrich's surprise, he managed to sell it to numerous European cinemas and the film was a decent success at the box office and received several good reviews at the time. Many years later, in an interview, Dietrich thought more highly of the film and said it was the first film to use the Dogme 95 style before Lars von Trier. Franco went on to make 16 more films for Dietrich over a three year period, and he told Dietrich they were the best years of his life.
            • Goofs
              When Dr. Moore gives an injection to Bertha, He jabs the syringe into her buttock and quickly removes the needle without depressing the plunger.
            • Quotes

              [Maria finds a dead mouse under the food on her plate]

              Maria da Guerra: Ah! A mouse!

              Guard: What's wrong?

              Maria da Guerra: I found a mouse here on my plate. Look at it!

              Guard: So what? It adds protein to your diet.

              [Guard pushes Maria's face onto the plate]

            • Alternate versions
              The film was rejected for cinema (as "Caged Women") by the BBFC in 1976 and then passed with heavy cuts under the same title the following year. The 2004 Anchor Bay DVD release (as "Barbed Wire Dolls") was cut by 41 secs to remove shots of explicit sexual penetration.
            • Connections
              Edited into Jailhouse Wardress (1981)

            User reviews25

            Featured review
            3/10

            An expertise into the sleaziest corners of Euro-Exploitation

            Well, you can't openly declare that you like (or even enjoy) watching this type of movies because then – let's face it – you automatically get a stamp on your head that says 'potential threat to society'. Barbed Wire Dolls is a non-stop series of sex and violence that explicitly focuses on female nudity and sexual torture. The more reasonable reason to be interested in this film is the man who made it. Jesus Franco, the undeniable Godfather of sleaze takes on the ultra-controversial subject of 'Babes behind Bars' here. Franco is a remarkable director to say the least, with over 180 films on his repertoire as a director. Although this 'Barbed Wire Dolls' doesn't come close to his best achievements, it sure is memorable. But not exactly for the right reasons… The plot is thin to non-existent, it lacks range and feeling and there's no tension to detect. Even the typical exploitation-music (a must for films like this) is absent. Compared to what you might think, it isn't even THAT gross or nauseating. The film doesn't feature sequences of extreme bloodshed or severe mutilation. Instead, Barbed Wire Dolls only serves a lot of naked female beauty and absurd characters. We have the lesbian guard with obvious Nazi-tics, insane prisoners and fraudulent authority-figures. Oh, and let's not forget the falsely accused heroine and the remorseful male guard. Actually, Barbed Wire Dolls looked ideal to supply with a neutral rating. Like 4 or 5 out of 10…but then it got entirely spoiled by the abrupt and idiotic ending. Really, it looks like Franco all of a sudden got tired of it and just said: 'That's a wrap'. Maybe he had to hurry to another set…your agenda is pretty much filled with 180 movies to direct.
            • Coventry
            • Jun 15, 2004
            • Permalink

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            FAQ13

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            Details

            Edit
            • Release date
              • 1977 (United States)
            • Country of origin
              • Switzerland
            • Language
              • French
            • Also known as
              • El reformatorio de las perdidas
            • Filming locations
              • Castillo de San Fernando, Omoa, Honduras(Main exteriors location.)
            • Production company
              • Elite Film
            • See more company credits at IMDbPro

            Tech specs

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            • Runtime
              1 hour 30 minutes
            • Sound mix
              • Mono
            • Aspect ratio
              • 1.85 : 1

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