Cobra Woman (1944)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Robert Siodmak

Writers:

Gene Lewis (screenplay) and
Richard Brooks (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 May 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

STRANGE LOVES, UNBELIEVABLE ADVENTURES in the SOUTH SEAS! (original poster)

Plot:

Upon discovering his fiancée Tollea has been kidnaped, Ramu and his friend Kado set out for a Pacific...

Plot Keywords:

Cobra | Island | Prisoner | Volcano | Human Sacrifice

Cast

Maria Montez	...	Tollea / Naja
Jon Hall	...	Ramu
Sabu	...	Kado
Edgar Barrier	...	Martok
Mary Nash	...	Queen
Lois Collier	...	Veeda
Samuel S. Hinds	...	Father Paul
Moroni Olsen	...	MacDonald
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Hava (as Lon Chaney)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paulita Arvizu	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
Vivian Austin	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
John Bagni	...	Native (uncredited)
Robert Barron	...	Chief Guard (uncredited)
Carmen D'Antonio	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Beth Dean	...	Handmaiden (uncredited)
Fritz Leiber	...	Venreau (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Guard (uncredited)
Belle Mitchell	...	Native Woman (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	...	Guard (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Siodmak

Writing credits
Gene Lewis		(screenplay) and
Richard Brooks		(screenplay)
Scott Darling		(story) (as W. Scott Darling)

Produced by
George Waggner	....	producer

Original Music by
Edward Ward

Cinematography by
W. Howard Greene
George Robinson

Film Editing by
Charles Maynard

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen
John B. Goodman

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)
Ira Webb		(as I.S. Webb)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Jack P. Pierce	....	makeup artist (as Jack Pierce)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mack V. Wright	....	assistant director (as Mack Wright)

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
Joe Lapis	....	sound technician

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
John Bagni	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Magrill	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)

Editorial Department
William Fritzsche	....	associate color director: Technicolor

Other crew
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director
Gene Lewis	....	dialogue director
Paul Oscard	....	dance director

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1944) (USA) (theatrical)
• Film Classics (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Silver Screen Archive (????) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Filmmaker Kenneth Anger named it his favorite film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the snake dances, the cobra is an obvious puppet in the long- and medium-distance shots and a real cobra in the snake-only closeups.

Quotes:

Tollea: [with heavy accent] Geef me that cobra jool! Eeet ees rightfully mine!

Maria Montez as twin sisters in camp classic...need I say more???

Might as well quote from the recent career article I wrote on MARIA MONTEZ, due for publication in CLASSIC IMAGES some time soon:

"She began work in 1944 on a film requiring her to play twin sisters--usually a stretch for any actress but even more so for Maria Montez, whose acting ability had never really convinced anyone except diehard fans that she was up to performing solo. Nevertheless, she took it as a challenge to do "Cobra Woman" ('44) and ardent fans of the actress consider it their top "camp" favorite.

She was so visible in "Cobra Woman" that it was impossible to ignore her still heavy accent, literally talking to herself on screen, as when she tells the Queen, "I have dee-cided to marry Martok and I dee-mand your consent." She played two opposite types, Naja, the evil Queen leading a tribe of snake worshippers, and Tollea, a simple, kind-hearted peasant girl.

Only a few critics came to her rescue, one of whom was Lee Mortimer, N.Y. Daily Mirror: "If you were a producer with a cast of thousands, a corny tale, a stage-set volcano island, several reels of technicolor film and Miss Montez, what would you do? Probably what Universal did. Cast her in a double role. Undress her in both, as much as the law and Will Hays allow, and let nature take its course."

Others were more inclined to simply state: "It has every known variety of corn." (Alton Cook, N.Y. World Telegram) Still, the sight of Montez in a twin role (one good, one bad) writhing in a weird sort of belly dance to King Cobra, selecting subjects with a wave of her hand to be sent to their death by volcanic fire, is something to behold. It was also noted that here her royal deportment was never on more display, strutting around her island domain with all of the natives at her beck and call.

Despite the silliness of the script, it was directed (of all people) by Robert Siodmak, who would later demonstrate his skill in directing another actress in a more serious dual role at the same Universal studio--Olivia de Havilland in 'The Dark Mirror'."