I'm a big fan of Jack Hill's pair of Pam Grier-lead women in prison flicks; The Big Doll House and The Big Bird Cage, and was hoping for something similar from this film seeing as it has similar people involved with it. It has to be said that Black Mama, White Mama is nowhere near as good as the earlier two films and also isn't as good as the plot summary would leave me to believe it is...but it is, at least, an entertaining exploitation effort. The film's central idea is really good and could easily have lead to a classic; but unfortunately the film adds in a number of side plots, and these unfortunately are not as interesting. We, of course, focus on a women's prison and in particular two prisoners that don't get on (one black, one white). Their superiors decide to ship them off to another prison; and for extra security, they are chained together. The white prisoner is involved with a revolution, and her friends attack the convoy carrying the prisoners en route, and the pair is able to escape. Now, chained together, they have to battle their way across the countryside.
Naturally, the film has the same brash exploitation style (which includes a food fight and the obligatory shower scene) as Jack Hill's women in prison films; but it's clear that Eddie Romero is no Jack Hill, and it comes off looking more like an imitation than the real thing. Pam Grier once again gives a gritty turn as one half of the lead, and gets good back up from Margaret Markov; the other half. There's also a small role for Sid Haig, who plays a gangster. The parts of the film that focus on the prisoners are generally good and entertaining, and I'm sure this would have been a classic if the whole film focused on that idea. The side plot involving Sid Haig is not too bad and has some interesting moments; but the whole plot revolving around a revolution is frankly dull and I found it very hard to care for. The setting is rather nice (once again it's some banana republic) and there's some good location shots, at least. Overall, I would recommend this film to anyone that likes the work that Jack Hill did with Pam Grier; but don't go into it expecting anything on par.
Naturally, the film has the same brash exploitation style (which includes a food fight and the obligatory shower scene) as Jack Hill's women in prison films; but it's clear that Eddie Romero is no Jack Hill, and it comes off looking more like an imitation than the real thing. Pam Grier once again gives a gritty turn as one half of the lead, and gets good back up from Margaret Markov; the other half. There's also a small role for Sid Haig, who plays a gangster. The parts of the film that focus on the prisoners are generally good and entertaining, and I'm sure this would have been a classic if the whole film focused on that idea. The side plot involving Sid Haig is not too bad and has some interesting moments; but the whole plot revolving around a revolution is frankly dull and I found it very hard to care for. The setting is rather nice (once again it's some banana republic) and there's some good location shots, at least. Overall, I would recommend this film to anyone that likes the work that Jack Hill did with Pam Grier; but don't go into it expecting anything on par.