Big Bad Mama *** (1974, Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, Tom Skerritt, usan Sennett, Robbie Lee, Royal Dano) – Classic Movie Review 5369

Director Steve Carver’s robust and rumbustious 1974 gangster thriller is a follow-up to 1970’s Roger Corman hit Bloody Mama with Shelley Winters.

This time Angie Dickinson, always game for a go at anything, stars as big bad Wilma McClatchie, a feisty dame with teenage girls (Susan Sennett, Robbie Lee), who turns to a life of holding up banks, Bonnie and Clyde style, with fellow robber Fred Diller (Tom Skerritt) in Thirties Texas.

Since it is again a Roger Corman production, it is typically fast, furious and cynical.

For collectors of the cinema’s more exotic treats, Dickinson gets into bed with William Shatner (as her conman gang member William Baxter), both in the buff.

Also in the cast are Royal Dano as Reverend Johnson, Noble Willingham as Uncle Barney, Sally Kirkland as Barney’s Woman, Joan Prather, Dick Miller, Ralph James (Sheriff), Tom Signorelli, William O’Connell (Preacher), John Wheeler and Wally Berns.

It is written by William W Norton and Frances Doel, shot by Bruce Logan and scored by David Grisman.

The actor Bill Paxton, just getting his start in movies, is the film’s set designer. The 20-year-old Paxton also made his film acting debut as John in Crazy Mama (1975).

The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia performs guitar and banjo.

It is one of four Roger Corman ‘Mama’ pictures, following Bloody Mama and preceding Crazy Mama (1975) with Cloris Leachman, and a sequel, Big Bad Mama II, which appeared in 1987, also with Dickinson.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5369

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com