Switchblade Sisters (1975)

The leader of an inner city girl gang is challenged when a new girl moves into the neighbourhood.

Director:

Jack Hill

Writers:

Jack Hill (story), F.X. Maier (screenplay)

Stars:

Robbie Lee, Joanne Nail, Monica Gayle

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robbie Lee	...	Lace
Joanne Nail	...	Maggie
Monica Gayle	...	Patch
Asher Brauner	...	Dominic
Chase Newhart	...	Crabs
Marlene Clark	...	Muff
Kitty Bruce	...	Donut
Janice Karman	...	Bunny
Don Stark	...	Hook
Don Marino	...	Guido
Helene Nelson	...	Cherry
Bill Adler	...	Fingers
Paul Lichtman	...	Mr. Clutch
J.S. Johnson	...	Principal Weasel
Kate Murtagh	...	Mom Smackley

Storyline

The "Dagger Debs" are a gang of snarling girls, and Maggie is their newest member. Lace, the ever tooth-gritting leader, befriends her but soon has doubts --it seems Lace's man, Dominic, head of the "Silver Daggers" fancies the new recruit. Lace struggles to keep control of the Debs, and a handle on Nick, as they face off against the rival gang of pushers lead by Crabs.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbianism | grindhouse | grindhouse film | drive in classic | women in prison | 

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Taglines:

Mothers... lock up your sons. The Switchblade Sisters are coming!

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Maggie's Stiletto Sisters

Filming Locations:

Moonlight Rollerway - 5110 San Fernando Road, Glendale, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$320,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$51,264

Company Credits

Production Co:

Centaur Pictures Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When introducing the film at Fantastisk Film Festival 1995 in Lund, Sweden, where it was screened under the title Switchblade Sisters, writer/director Jack Hill claimed that he had based the script on Shakespeare's Othello.

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Goofs

Lace cuts the necktie from the man in the elevator leaving about 6 inches of tie. When he identifies the ladies with the police moments later his tie is much longer.

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Quotes

Dominic: Everything was lousy! You were lousy! The whole fucking gang was lousy!

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Connections

Referenced in Desperate Teenage Lovedolls (1984)

User Reviews

Screeching, melodramatic tantrum of a film.

In the 70s, when women's lib became as much a part of civil rights as race issues, many films portrayed women as being just as vicious as men. I think that this factor often resulted from male studio heads and producers, who were threatened by women's increasing demands for equality in society. As a result, many films with female characters, were portrayed as being even more dangerous than the most violent of males. The Jezebels is a film, that's a perfect example of this 'woman as more deadly than the male' mentality.

The film revolves around a group of teen girls, who form a gang called the Jezebels. They all come from dysfunctional families, and live in a crumbling, tenement apartment building. The girls dress in funky, rough-looking leather jackets and torn jeans. They all carry switch-blade knives, and know how to use them.

Their boyfriends have their own gang, and they all hang together with the Jezebels, in an abandoned warehouse. These tough kids are all in constant, bloody battles with rival gangs, the police, and even each other. When a drug kingpin threatens their survival, the huge battle that results, severely tests the loyalties of the Jezebels to each other, and to their boyfriends.

There's no shortage of car chases, shootings, knifings, and general all-around mayhem in this movie. All of this overwhelms the film, and gives it a tacky, melodramatic quality. The performances of virtually all the actors, are fraught with hammy overacting. It's only a mildly entertaining movie, at best.