I watched "Wild Women of Chastity Gulch" on TV here recently. In it Priscilla Barnes (Three's Company) plays Maggie McCul-loch, a woman doctor who travels to the town of Sweetwater (during the Civil War) at the bequest of her ailing Aunt Annie (Joan Collins), the local madam. Annie asks Maggie to manage her "business" for six months. With all the able-bodied men away fighting the war, Annie's girls and the "good women" of Sweetwater declare a truce and take over the civic respon-sibilities of the town with Maggie as mayor. Meanwhile, a Northern raiding party, led by Colonel Isaacs (Howard Duff) invade the town in search of a doctor for Isaacs' badly wounded son Frank (Donny Osmond). Isaacs promises to spare the town if his son is saved. A wounded rebel prisonor of the Yankees, handsome Dr. John Cain (Lee Horsley) helps Maggie perform the surgery. While young Frank recuperates, Isaacs and his men ride away to raid another town. Cain warns Maggie and the other women that Isaacs will not keep his promise but will return and destroy the town. Meanwhile, Maggie's aunt succumbs to her illness and is buried. In a desperate effort to save Sweetwater Cain and Maggie (who are falling in love by this time) help the others prepare to defend the town when the raiders return. NOTE: Not a classic western by any means, but a fairly enjoyable time-waster. Western movie fans like myself take what we can get these days.
3 Reviews
Pure Disney like entertainment
teamcaryl18 November 2020
WHY was this rated a 5.5??? Try more like 8.5/10.
Stellar cast that stars Pricilla Barnes (3's Company), Joan Collins (Dynasty), and Lee Horsley (Nero Wolf). About a woman doctor "Maggie" (Barnes) who travels to small town Sweetwater to visit her ailing aunt Annie (Collins) who runs a bordello. The men have all left to fight in the Civil War, forcing (all) the women to defend and fight against the ruthless Northern raiding party led by Colonel Isaacs (Howard Duff), who's wounded son Frank (Donny Osmond) falls in love with his personal nurse Amy (Lisa Whelchel - The Facts of Life) as Maggie and Cain also fall in love. Pure Disney like entertainment as the bordello girls "team" with the "proper" ladies in town to fight against Isaacs returning army.
Essentially, a remake of "Wild Women", set in the Civil War
weezeralfalfa8 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This 1982 film bears a strong resemblance in general plot, to the 1970 "Wild Women". In the present film, we have a house full of 'sporting ladies', instead of the Texan jail birds of the former film. In both films, the women are taught to be good shots with the firearms provided. In both films, they set up a barricade across the main street and await an imminent hostile military patrol. In both, they shoot the patrol to bits, and in both films, several romances blossom.
In the present film, the ladies of Annie's establishment are depressed because all the virile men of the region have joined the Confederate army, faraway, and they don't want to become camp followers. In addition, Annie(Joan Collins) hasn't been feeling chipper lately. So, she sent for her doctor niece Maggie(Pricilla Barnes), whom she financed through school. Annie tells Maggie she would like her to stay here for at least 6 months, in which case, Annie will name her heir for her money, but not for her establishment, which will go to the girls collectively.
After a massive cat fight between Annie's 'girls' and the other women of the town, who want to shut them down, Annie takes it upon herself to appoint Maggie as the new town mayor, she being the most neutral person between these 2 groups. Maggie arranges for some fire fighting equipment, and the women try it out at a practice fire. Unfortunately, one accidentally gets pushed into the lake, and pretty soon, we have another massive free-for-all in the lake.
A ragtag Union patrol, lead by Colonel Isaacs (Howard Duff) shows up, looking for a surgeon. In the patrol, there is a captured Confederate surgeon( Lee Horsley, as Dr. Cain) who is wounded in his right arm, thus feels he can't perform surgeries. He teams with Maggie, who does the surgery on Col. Isaacs' son, while Dr. Cain instructs her. Col. Isaacs promises he will spare the town from being razed, if his son recovers. He then leaves to raze another town or two, while his son recovers well enough to ride. But, Dr. Cain tells Maggie that it's very unlikely that Isaacs will keep his promise. Thus, the women learn how to shoot accurately and otherwise prepare for a battle. Isaacs' son , having recovered, has meanwhile struck up a romance with one of the girls, and decides to fight on the girl's side after he fails to dissuade his demented father from staging a cavalry charge against the girls, hiding behind a barricade or windows....I leave the remainder of the story for you to learn by seeing the film. Both films are presently available on YouTube.
Both these films, beginning with "Wild Women" in their title, are worth a look, as combination westerns and comedies. I would rate the present film as somewhat more interesting and more fun than the earlier film. Joan Collins, especially provides more glamour in this one. Priscilla Barnes, as the unsure Maggie, Lee Horsley as the heroic Dr. Cain, and Howard Duff as the villainous Col.Isaacs, are all good. Donny Osgood plays the turncoat Isaacs son, while Lisa Whelchel plays his instant blond girl friend, Amy. Paul Brinegar and, presumably, Dennis Fimple play the 2 old geezers, who show up every now and then. I noticed one was missing his left arm, and the other missing his right arm. Perhaps that is why they are always seen together?
The Summary at this site gets the name of the town wrong. It's Sweetwater, Missouri, not Chastity Gulch, in the Wild West. I have no idea why it's called Chastity Gulch in the title, unless that is meant as a sarcastic nickname.
In the present film, the ladies of Annie's establishment are depressed because all the virile men of the region have joined the Confederate army, faraway, and they don't want to become camp followers. In addition, Annie(Joan Collins) hasn't been feeling chipper lately. So, she sent for her doctor niece Maggie(Pricilla Barnes), whom she financed through school. Annie tells Maggie she would like her to stay here for at least 6 months, in which case, Annie will name her heir for her money, but not for her establishment, which will go to the girls collectively.
After a massive cat fight between Annie's 'girls' and the other women of the town, who want to shut them down, Annie takes it upon herself to appoint Maggie as the new town mayor, she being the most neutral person between these 2 groups. Maggie arranges for some fire fighting equipment, and the women try it out at a practice fire. Unfortunately, one accidentally gets pushed into the lake, and pretty soon, we have another massive free-for-all in the lake.
A ragtag Union patrol, lead by Colonel Isaacs (Howard Duff) shows up, looking for a surgeon. In the patrol, there is a captured Confederate surgeon( Lee Horsley, as Dr. Cain) who is wounded in his right arm, thus feels he can't perform surgeries. He teams with Maggie, who does the surgery on Col. Isaacs' son, while Dr. Cain instructs her. Col. Isaacs promises he will spare the town from being razed, if his son recovers. He then leaves to raze another town or two, while his son recovers well enough to ride. But, Dr. Cain tells Maggie that it's very unlikely that Isaacs will keep his promise. Thus, the women learn how to shoot accurately and otherwise prepare for a battle. Isaacs' son , having recovered, has meanwhile struck up a romance with one of the girls, and decides to fight on the girl's side after he fails to dissuade his demented father from staging a cavalry charge against the girls, hiding behind a barricade or windows....I leave the remainder of the story for you to learn by seeing the film. Both films are presently available on YouTube.
Both these films, beginning with "Wild Women" in their title, are worth a look, as combination westerns and comedies. I would rate the present film as somewhat more interesting and more fun than the earlier film. Joan Collins, especially provides more glamour in this one. Priscilla Barnes, as the unsure Maggie, Lee Horsley as the heroic Dr. Cain, and Howard Duff as the villainous Col.Isaacs, are all good. Donny Osgood plays the turncoat Isaacs son, while Lisa Whelchel plays his instant blond girl friend, Amy. Paul Brinegar and, presumably, Dennis Fimple play the 2 old geezers, who show up every now and then. I noticed one was missing his left arm, and the other missing his right arm. Perhaps that is why they are always seen together?
The Summary at this site gets the name of the town wrong. It's Sweetwater, Missouri, not Chastity Gulch, in the Wild West. I have no idea why it's called Chastity Gulch in the title, unless that is meant as a sarcastic nickname.
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