A new female inmate at an island prison is abused by fellow convicts and staff, and her disillusionment with the new warden prompts her to join in an attempted breakout and mutiny.A new female inmate at an island prison is abused by fellow convicts and staff, and her disillusionment with the new warden prompts her to join in an attempted breakout and mutiny.A new female inmate at an island prison is abused by fellow convicts and staff, and her disillusionment with the new warden prompts her to join in an attempted breakout and mutiny.
- Marie
- (as Maria Rohn)
- Helga
- (as Eliza Montes)
- Doctor
- (uncredited)
- Boatman
- (uncredited)
- Official
- (uncredited)
- Zoie's Boss
- (uncredited)
- Marta
- (uncredited)
- Juan Diego
- (uncredited)
- Guard
- (uncredited)
- Official on Boat
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaItalian censorship visa # 53649 delivered on 10-4-1969.
- GoofsThis has to be the first and only women in prison movie without a shower scene.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Marie: Where are they taking us?
Helga: To the island, over there.
Helga: [to redhead] What's eating you? Looking forward to your holidays? Three years the judge said, didn't he? I know the medicine you need, and they don't stock it over there. Home sweet home for all three of us. The Spaniards built it and christened it, Castillo de la Muerte.
Natalie Mendoza: "Castle of Death".
- Alternate versionsThe UK release was cut, the distributor was required to cut sight of animal cruelty (a snake being stabbed and hacked at by a women using a knife) as per BBFC Policy based on the Cinematorgraph Films (Animals) Act 1937, in order to obtain an 18 classification. An uncut classification was not available.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Llámale Jess (2000)
It really depends on the version you watch, as there are versions from 70 minutes (UK) to 99 minutes (Argentina). The US and Sweden have 86 minute versions, although Sweden banned even that. This is a 90 minute unrated version.
One does not expect to find a double Golden Globe and Oscar winner in a Jesus Franco film, but here she is - Mercedes McCambridge (All the King's Men - 1949) as the prison superintendent.
Also Maria Schell, who has 2 BAFTA Film Award nominations and another 14 awards, as an inspector from the Ministry. She did get prisoner 99 (Maria Rohm) out of solitary on her first day.
More expected is Herbert Lom as the Governor, the only surviving member of The Ladykillers (1955), and a Razzie nominee for King Solomon's Mines.
It appears Franco was going for quality as it is more than a half hour in before we see a breast, and some girl-on-girl action. Even that was shot with a lot of Vaseline on the camera. Don't the women in this prison take showers? Marie (99), Zoe (Rosalba Neri), and Rosalie (Valentina Godoy) attempt to cross 30 miles of snake-infested jungle and swamp at night to escape. yeah, right. They find a lily-covered pond that looks the same as the one in Virgin among the Living Dead.
Of course, it isn't the snakes on the ground they have to worry about, but the snakes attached to the dozen male prisoners that saw them and are running after them. One doesn't make it.
A good drama with some famous actors, but disappointing as a WIP exploitations.
- lastliberal
- Jun 17, 2009
- How long is 99 Women?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Island of Despair
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 26 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1