Movie Review: 1,000 Convicts and a Woman (1971)

Synopsis: The daughter of a British prison governor returns from an American finishing school with plans to live with her father on the prison grounds. The attractive young woman, Angela, is promiscuous and immediately begins to tease the inmates and guards and continues to do so even after one of the inmates attempts to rape her.

Who's in it? The movie stars Alexandra Hay, Sandor Eles, Harry Baird, Neil Hallett and Tracy Reed.

Review: I came across this film on Epix some time ago and debated whether or not I wanted to take the time to watch it. Even though I correctly suspected it would turn out to be a 1970s sexploitation film, the plot sounded somewhat interesting and, ultimately, I decided to give it a chance. As it turns out, the movie did exceed my expectations.

As I was kind of expecting when I started watching it, this is the type of movie that might have been somewhat scandalous when it first came out in the 1970s but, by today's standards, would be considered relatively mild. Yes, there is some nudity but most of the actual sex happens off screen or is edited in a way that makes it comparable to what you might see on network TV. So, if you planned on watching this movie for the just sex, you'll be disappointed. However, plot-wise, it does have some things going for it.

I think the thing I liked the most about this movie was the psychological element. Angela (Alexandra) wasn't just some schoolgirl looking for a good time, she was a troubled young woman who felt neglected by her father (he did, after all, send her to America for four years) and was trying to replace her father's love with "love" from other men. This not only explained why she was so blatant with her efforts to seduce the prisoners her father was in charge of, it also explained why she continued to do it even after her misconduct results in her getting assaulted. Though, to be fair, I am also not the person who will be able to confirm whether or not the science behind all of this is actually valid.

One thing that surprised me about this movie was how restrained the prisoners were when they were around her. I thought she would have no issues bedding any of the men she wanted but that turned out not to be the case. This added a somewhat intriguing element to the movie both because it didn't deter her and because she demonstrated a willingness to lie and get the prisoners in trouble if needed, meaning, even if they didn't sleep with her, they could still wind up in trouble.

I wasn't overly sure about the ending at first, mostly because it seemed a bit dragged out at times and, at other times, made the movie seem a bit more like a comedy than a drama. However, since it was unclear what would happen, especially since it involved two convicts that had been friendly toward her but were now in a desperate situation, I did find it entertaining. And, I have to admit, the last-second twist was a good one, though I do wish the movie would have taken the time to explain what happened next.

Final Opinion: Again, if you watch this movie solely for the sexploitation, you are going to be disappointed by it. However, if you are looking for a movie with a unique plot, this does have one of those. It's probably still not a film for everyone though.

My Grade: C+