The Big Doll House (1971)

100% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
50% of users liked it
(1,558 ratings)

Jack Hill directed this alternately brutal and campy look at desperate women behind bars. An American named Collier (Judy Brown) has been convicted of murder in the Philippines and is sentenced to a grim women's prison in the jungle, where a mysterious German woman, Miss Deitrich (Christiane… More Jack Hill directed this alternately brutal and campy look at desperate women behind bars. An American named Collier (Judy Brown) has been convicted of murder in the Philippines and is sentenced to a grim women's prison in the jungle, where a mysterious German woman, Miss Deitrich (Christiane Schmidtmer), is the warden, and her head guard, sadistic Lucian (Katheryn Loder), keeps her charges in line through intimidation and violence. Collier shares a cell with tough-talking bisexual prostitute Grear (Pam Grier), hard-boiled political prisoner Bodine (Pat Woodell), thick-skinned but good-humored Alcott (Roberta Collins), drug-addicted Harrad (Brooke Mills), and tight-lipped Ferina (Gina Stuart). Bodine's boyfriend is the leader of an underground revolutionary faction, and when she learns he and his comrades are in danger, she begins to plot an escape for herself and her cellmates, with travelling peddlers Harry (Sid Haig) and Fred (Jerry Frank) becoming her unwitting collaborators. Meanwhile, Lucian is stepping up her torture of the prisoners at the behest of a mysterious masked stranger, and Collier is determined to find out who is behind the systematic brutality. The Big Doll House was the first "Women In Prison" exploitation epic produced for Roger Corman's New World Pictures; it was a big hit on the dive-in and grind house circuit, and spawned dozens of imitations (which are still being produced today). By the way, that's Pam Grier singing the theme song! ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Jack Hill
Written By: Don Spencer
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Apr 30, 1971 Wide
On DVD: May 11, 1999
Studio: Concorde/New Horizons Home Video

Critic Reviews

John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
A first-person lament, the title song establishes that the story will be told sympathetically from the point of view of the female inmates, even if their humiliation and suffering (and their communal showers) are the film's raison d'etre.
Simon Abrams, Slant Magazine
Pam Grier can do anything, even make cheesy skin flicks worth seeing.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
Filmed by Hill with a luxuriant eye for the Philippines, an appreciation for offhand poesy, and a rather Sirkian direction of actresses
Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
When the skin factor is low, Sid Haig saves the show! Sure, overall it's a piece of crap, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a piece of crap film finer than this one.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
A great, glorious trash classic.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Tim S

The Big Doll House happens to be one of the really good "women in prison" exploitation classics, from none other than genre director Jack Hill and producer Roger Corman. It may be cheap on budget but damn is it ever entertaining. The ridiculous dialogue and acting combined… More
The Big Doll House happens to be one of the really good "women in prison" exploitation classics, from none other than genre director Jack Hill and producer Roger Corman. It may be cheap on budget but damn is it ever entertaining. The ridiculous dialogue and acting combined with a really cheesy storyline that has every cliche in the book: lesbianism, mud wrestling, shower scenes, female torture, male torture by angry females... well, you get the idea. This is one of the best of the genre, for sure, with lots of nudity and even a bit part for Corman regular Sid Haig. AND, of course, the always lucious Pam Grier along with a host of other hotties. I very much enjoyed this one and the two follow-ups. The "sequels" had their share of problems, but from now on when I think of "women in prison" movies, The Big Doll House springs to mind.
AJ V

I've never understood the appeal of the women behind bars genre, but this movie wasn't all that bad, not good, but not horrible.
Cassandra M

New meat enters the big house, in the shape of Collier and she learns that it won't be an easy walk in the park. Grear, Alcott, Bodine, Harad and Ferina welcome her to the rough and tumble endurance of prison life and the importance of holding your own to stay alive. Be it, from… More
New meat enters the big house, in the shape of Collier and she learns that it won't be an easy walk in the park. Grear, Alcott, Bodine, Harad and Ferina welcome her to the rough and tumble endurance of prison life and the importance of holding your own to stay alive. Be it, from your inmates or that of their sadistic prison warden named Miss Diestrich. Then there are two peddlers, Harry and Fred who play off the inmates to get what they want. Roger Corman sent out exploitation director Jack Hill to the Banana republic (Philippines) with very little money, but on-hand he had a group of stunning women to work with. Though, to Corman's surprise, the end result was nothing but phenomenal, since it did extremely well with moviegoers. Its been done before, but this old hat Women-In-Prison concept for "Big Doll House" became revolutionary by giving it an ounce of fresh treatment (or maybe it was just great timing) that simply appealed to the drive-in audience to ensure the genre would erupt again. Hill's film is quite watered-down for a WIP exploitation feature (compared to its European cousins), but there are enough nitty, gritty elements involving random drug abuse, sadistic torture, and sexual antics, pumping gunfights and wild cat fights in a very energetic pattern. Production-wise, it's very solid for a meagre budget with it drumming in with a saucy score (and also Pam Grier's tantalisingly, groovy title song) and workman-like camera-work that had a great eye to detail. The bang-up story mainly focuses on a group of well-rounded and strong willed, firebrands who are not easy pushovers. Where they're trying to keep their spirit, pride and dignity in tack. A nice dash of snappy humour is worked into the salty dialogues and fiery language. There are some silly aspects, but it does bust out surprises, spontaneous inventions and comic relief, thanks largely to the minor turn by the charismatic character actor Sid Haig. But it was the memorable Pam Grier's steamily, spruced performance that steals every frame. She was the full package and afterwards would go on to be a true Blaxploitation star. Although, the attractively biting Roberta Collins holds her own quite well and Judy Brown, Pat Woodell and Brooke Mills add to the unique, spicy ensemble. Kathryn Loder performance makes headway too, as the stern and lean prison warden. Director Jack Hill's hardened direction is extremely sturdy and he keeps a quick rapid throughout. An American WIP exploitation flick that keeps it rather tasteful, but still highly entertaining b-grade material with a well-fitted cast.
Anthony L

Bad acting, dodgy script, rubbish story and questionable characters. Exploitation classic, God bless you Jack Hill! Love the end!
Ken S

I liked big bird cage so much better, but the print of this I saw was terrible and that might of had something to do with it.