Ms .45 (1981)

A timid and mute seamstress goes insane after being attacked and raped twice in one day, in which she takes to the streets of New York City after dark and randomly shoots men with a .45 caliber pistol.

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writer:

Nicholas St. John (screenplay) (as N.G. St. John)

Stars:

Zoë Lund, Bogey, Albert Sinkys

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Zoë Lund	...	Thana (as Zoë Tamerlis)
Bogey	...	Phil
Albert Sinkys	...	Albert
Darlene Stuto	...	Laurie
Helen McGara	...	Carol
Nike Zachmanoglou	...	Pamela
Abel Ferrara	...	1st Rapist (as Jimmy Laine)
Peter Yellen	...	Burglar
Editta Sherman	...	Mrs. Nasone
Vincent Gruppi	...	Heckler on Corner
S. Edward Singer	...	Photographer
Stanley Timms	...	Pimp
Faith Peters	...	Prostitute
Lawrence Zavaglia	...	Arab
Alex Jachno	...	Chauffeur

Storyline

In Manhattan, Thana is a timid and mute woman that works as a seamstress in the fashion industry and spends most of her idle time at home. One night, she gets raped in an alley while going back home after hours and when she arrives at home, she gets raped again by another criminal. However, she reacts and bludgeons the assaulter to his death with a flatiron. The disturbed Thana loses her sanity and uses a .45 caliber pistol to shoot men on the streets of New York. She dresses suggestively and roams the dark streets alone, wreaking vengeance upon anyone who tries to take advantage of her. Eventually, her secret life overflows into her regular life in the fashion industry.

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Plot Keywords:

revenge | vigilante | misandry | shooting | nun with a gun | 

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Taglines:

She's number one... with a bullet. Know her name.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Angel of Vengeance

Filming Locations:

40 Pell Street, corner of Mott Street and Pell Street, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$62,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Navaron Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene on the crowded street with Thana and the Photographer was filmed from a camera placed atop a parked van on Fifth Avenue that was manned by Abel Ferrara and covered with a tarp. The man and woman seen walking behind Thana and the Photographer are the female boom operator and a male crewman. The woman is clearly holding onto the man in a certain odd way to hide the microphone under the man's jacket to record the Photographer's speaking dialogue.

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Goofs

One band member is playing the trumpet, but what you hear is obviously a saxophone. There is no trumpet sound in the song the band is playing.

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Quotes

Albert: Hello, Bobby.
Party Host: And Sister?
Albert: Thana.
Party Host: That's a charming name. Is that Greek?
Albert: It's Greek to you, Bobby.

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Connections

Featured in Ms 45: An Interview with Composer Joe Delia (2014)

User Reviews

Death Wish in stockings and high heels.

If it's gritty, authentic 80s exploitation you're after, then look no further than Abel Ferrara's excellent rape/revenge thriller, Ms.45, which stars the stunning Zoe Tamerlis as Thana, a mute seamstress who goes on a killing spree after being sexually assaulted twice in one day. This feminist version of Death Wish is an ultra-stylish, mega-violent, and super-cool classic of the genre that never pulls its punches, and is highly recommended to fans of similarly themed cult movies such as The Exterminator, Thriller: A Cruel Picture, and I Spit On Your Grave.

Whilst Ferrara's tale is admittedly the stuff of pure B-movie trash, with Thana ultimately becoming an insane, man-hating, killing-machine spewing bullets indiscriminately at any male who crosses her path, the film manages to transcend its low budget roots to become a genuine work of art thanks to its superb visuals, an unforgettable performance from the beguiling lead actress, and brilliant use of a jazzy soundtrack.

Like many great exploitation pics of the era, the film makes excellent use of a very seedy looking New York, with worthless punks, violent pimps, and sexist scumbags hanging on every street corner, just begging for a slug from a .45 right between the eyes (which reminds me, is yelling 'hey, baby doll' to passing women a recommended dating technique in the Big Apple?). Drawing his inspiration from the thoroughly sleazy vibe of early 80s downtown Manhattan, Ferrara delivers an unforgettable experience that offers viewers several truly iconic moments of exploitation cinema, including Thana's transition from meek dressmaker to blood-red lipstick wearing vigilante (accompanied by a screeching saxophone), the stunning execution of a street-gang in Central Park, and the amazing finale where Thana, wearing a sexy nun outfit, loses her cool at a fancy dress party.

Slick, riveting and totally unmissable, Ms.45 gets an almost-perfect 9/10 from me (it would've got a 10 if it hadn't been for Editta Sherman's irritating performance as Thana's nosey landlady, Mrs. Nasone—I don't understand why SHE couldn't have accidentally caught a stray bullet in the head!).