Avenging Angel (1985)

Molly, former prostitute, has managed to leave her street life with help from Lt. Andrews. She studies law and leads a normal life. When Andrews is killed by a brutal gang, she returns to the streets as Angel to find his killers.

Director:

Robert Vincent O'Neil (as Robert Vincent O'Neill)

Writers:

Robert Vincent O'Neil (as Robert Vincent O'Neill), Joseph Michael Cala (as Joseph M. Cala)

Stars:

Betsy Russell, Rory Calhoun, Susan Tyrrell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Betsy Russell	...	Molly "Angel" Stewart
Rory Calhoun	...	Kit Carson
Susan Tyrrell	...	Solly Mosler
Ossie Davis	...	Captain Harry Moradian
Robert F. Lyons	...	Lt. Hugh Andrews
Steven M. Porter	...	Yo-Yo Charlie
Paul Lambert	...	Arthur Gerrard
Barry Pearl	...	Johnny Glitter
Estee Chandler	...	Cindy
Tim Rossovich	...	Teddy Butts
Frank Doubleday	...	Miles Gerrard
Howard Honig	...	Sergeant Hal Baylor
Ross Hagen	...	Ray Mitchell
Tracy Robert Austin	...	Pat
Michael A. Andrews	...	Mike

Storyline

Molly, former baby prostitute "Angel" from Sunset Boulevard, has managed to leave her street life with help of Lt. Andrews. She studies law at an university and aims to become attorney. When she learns that Andrews was shot during a failed observation by brutal gangsters, she returns downtown to take revenge. She frees Kit Carson from the old people's home and together with the other old friends she tracks down the bad guys.

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Plot Keywords:

teenage prostitute | prostitution | hollywood california | law student | female protagonist | 

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Taglines:

Angel's back... with a vengeance

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Official Angel Page Official Avenging Angel - Betsy Russell Facebook Page

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 January 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Avenging Angel

Filming Locations:

Bradbury Building - 304 S. Broadway, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,755,264, 13 January 1985

Gross USA:

$5,622,787

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,622,787

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avenging Venture, New World Pictures, Republic Entertainment International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Little Buck, a boy, was actually played by a baby girl (Robert Vincent O'Neill''s first granddaughter, Jessica O'Neil).

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Goofs

18 minutes into the film when Angel is walking down Hollywood Boulevard in front of extras some are looking at the screen and the three girls in the booth actually point and wave to the camera.

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Quotes

Solly Mosler: Oh man, now look what ya done. You woke up the fuckin' baby ya pervert!
[cooing]
Solly Mosler: I'm coming darling. Yes... yes.

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Connections

Follows Angel (1984)

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Soundtracks

Double Happy
Performed by Split Enz

User Reviews

Heavens to Betsy—just look at Angel now!

Wow, Molly Stewart, AKA former prostitute 'Angel', sure has changed in the three or four years since she quit hooking on the Boulevard: now played by Betsy Russell (replacing winsome Donna Wilkes, star of the first film), she's gained a couple of cup sizes, developed longer legs, sports an impressive perm, and is training to be a lawyer, thanks to the help of her guardian, Hollywood vice cop Lt. Andrews (Robert F. Lyons).

Molly's new life goes on hold, however, after Andrews is shot dead by gangsters; teaming up with her old pals, aging cowboy Kit Carson (Rory Calhoun) and lesbian landlady Solly Mosler (Susan Tyrell), she once again walks the sleazy sidewalks of Hollywood as Angel, this time looking for revenge.

For this cheesy sequel to his 1984 exploitation movie Angel, director Robert Vincent O'Neill throws any sense of realism in the nearest side-alley dumpster, opting instead for a much campier approach, his eccentric misfit characters even more exaggerated than before, his villains ridiculously reprehensible, and the violence about as cartoonish as it gets.

The film begins promisingly enough, with a car full of gangsters loading their weapons while heading downtown to 'off' a big-breasted undercover cop (who is busy taking a shower, natch!), a blaring Bronski Beat soundtrack giving everything that delightfully tacky 80s vibe. When the killers make their move, they blast their victims in the guts, resulting in some messy squib-work. Unfortunately, after this impressive opening, everything gets rather too comical for my liking (Rory Calhoun riding a gurney like a rodeo champ, as Angel and Solly bust him out of a sanitarium being the most cringe-worthy moment).

Still, even though Avenging Angel lacks the gritty edge that I generally look for in my vigilante/revenge flicks, and gets really, really dumb towards the end, the ever present sight of the delectable Miss Russell in a series of tight-as-you-like outfits, including a very sexy nurse get-up, makes the film just about bearable (no nudity from the star, but hey, I've always got her 1983 film Private School for that!).