User Reviews

With having found auteur film maker Russ Meyer's Film Noir quartet to be a wonderfully deranged take on the genre,I decided to take my first look at what is,perhaps Meyer's most overlooked film era.

The plot:

Being the only family to own a cabin that is based in the middle of a huge river,recently widowed Dewey Hoople decides to take advantage of his families position,by arranging for the only near by resident who lives in the area that owns a boat (Cracker) to drop off any passers-by to the families cabin,so that Dewey can charge huge amounts for "unlucky" travellers's who have to stay at Hoople's cabin,whilst they wait for Cracker to make his return.

Excited about getting asked by a husband (Dr.Martin Ross),his wife (Sheila) and a friend,(Barney Rickert-who seems to have some less then secret eyes for Shelia),to take them on a "surprise adventure",Cracker sets sail for Dewey's cabin,with a big smile on his face over the cash that they are about to make out of the unsuspecting visitors.Initially seeing dollar signs when the traveller's "actidentally" arrive,Hoople and his family soon begin to fear that the travellers's may know a lot more than they are showing,when Barney Rickert pulls out a less than clean looking pile of money from his wallet,and tells Dewey that he wants to be the cabin from the family right away.

View on the film:

Making his first ever non-Silent colour film,co-writer/ (along with Jack Moran)co-cinematography/co-producer/editor and directing auteur Russ Meyer uses the swamp-like setting to create a strong,warped-Soap Opera atmosphere,with Meyer hinting that Dewey may be getting a bit too close to his own daughter's,by having each of the stunning actress's circling Hoople uncomfortably close.Offsetting the Soap Opera sections of the film,Meyer also uses the brash colours to give the movie a huge "it's happening" influence,which disappointingly ends up dampening the gripping Soap Opera elements by feeling like an unnecessary add on to the film.

Credited not only for the terrific tongue-twisting dialogue but also making his debut in front of the camera,Jack Moran gives a very good performance as Dewey,with Moran showing Hoople's creepy behaviour around his family,to only be equal by his chase to nab cash out of the hands of unwitting visitors.Joining Moran,Ken Swofford gives a tough,tobacco chewing performance as Barney Rickert,with Swofford slowly revealing his true motive for making a coincidence visit to the cabin.

What can i say? There needs to be more artists like Russ Meyer, willing to make the films they want to without worrying what people would say.

In Common Law Cabin, an alcoholic boatsman (who drinks large glasses of whiskey and says aloud "aaah. the nectar of the gods"), brings a boring square doctor, his buxomly wife and an ex-detective on the run to an isolated ranch by the river. The ranch is inhabited by its hard drinking owner who is attracted to his buxomly daughter and is bored with his buxomly wife. The ex-detective begins to seduce the women. the square doctor and the hard drinking ranch owner just sit around and watch while the women fight with each other. There is an outrageously funny scene where the ex-detective punches the ranch owners horny wife in the face. It was fantastic.

I loved the idyllic setting. But the happenings are anything but idyllic. I wish there were more films like this.

(7.5/10)