Captive Wild Woman main backdrop
Captive Wild Woman main poster

Captive Wild Woman

Visit website

5.2/10 • 35

1943-06-041h 1m

HorrorScience Fiction

STRANGEST OF SIGHTS... The brain of an animal... the form of a woman!

An insane scientist doing experimentation in glandular research becomes obsessed with transforming a female gorilla into a human...even though it costs human life.

Directors
Edward Dmytryk
Editors
Milton Carruth

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. John Carradine

    John Carradine

    Dr. Sigmund Walters

  2. Evelyn Ankers

    Evelyn Ankers

    Beth Colman

  3. Milburn Stone

    Milburn Stone

    Fred Mason

  4. Lloyd Corrigan

    Lloyd Corrigan

    John Whipple

  5. Fay Helm

    Fay Helm

    Nurse Strand

  6. Martha Vickers

    Martha Vickers

    Dorothy Colman

  7. Acquanetta

    Acquanetta

    Paula Dupree, the Ape Woman

  8. Vince Barnett

    Vince Barnett

    Curly

  9. Paul Fix

    Paul Fix

    Gruen

Reviews3

View Reviews
John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Mar 1, 2020

5/10

Universal programmer proves to be a mixed bag. Dr. Walters (John Carradine) has made great strides in his field of glandular transplants. But as his work progresses, the more unhinged his approach to his science becomes. Stealing a tame gorilla from the local circus, Walters transforms the gorilla into a beautiful woman whom he names Paula Dupree (Acquanetta). Upon taking Paula to the circus it's found that she has hypnotic powers over the lions and tigers and is promptly made part of the taming of the beasts act. But can Paula contain her true animal instincts?. Sounds bonkers doesn't it? Well it is, but it's not the plot that makes the film so distinctly average. This is after all a low level Universal Pictures movie, we want, in fact demand, bizarre plots and berserker horror episodes. The problems exist with the complete lack of tension in the script, for a film that has a running time of just over an hour, you would think the big "transplant" and creation of "wild woman" would come sooner rather than later. But it doesn't, what we get is 45 minutes of musing about science and continual takes of circus animal training. With the latter containing some truly awful editing. Paula puts in an appearance late in the piece, then bang! it's pretty much the end and one can't help be disappointed after having stayed with it thus far. Carradine hams it up and enjoys himself one feels, while Evelyn Ankers gives the other performance of note as Beth Colman. The film also serves as an interesting point of reference in the career of director Edward Dmytryk, who in the following few years would deliver some classics in a number of genres. He deserved better material here, hell they all did. But as ever with most of Universal's horror pictures, you end up taking the rough with the smooth and still enjoy yourself. A watchable yet frustrating experience it be. 5/10

Media

  • Captive Wild Woman poster
  • Captive Wild Woman poster
  • Captive Wild Woman poster
  • Captive Wild Woman poster
  • Captive Wild Woman poster
  • Captive Wild Woman poster
  • Captive Wild Woman poster

Recommendations

  • Who's Your Daddy? main backdrop

    Who's Your Daddy?

    4.9

  • Hit-and-Run Squad main backdrop

    Hit-and-Run Squad

    7.1

  • Jungle Woman main backdrop

    Jungle Woman

    4.9

  • Oliver & Company main backdrop

    Oliver & Company

    6.7

  • Alice in Wonderland main backdrop

    Alice in Wonderland

    7.2

  • Journey to the Center of the Earth main backdrop

    Journey to the Center of the Earth

    6.1

  • The Aristocats main backdrop

    The Aristocats

    7.3

  • Aladdin main backdrop

    Aladdin

    7.7

  • Hercules main backdrop

    Hercules

    7.5

  • Lady and the Tramp main backdrop

    Lady and the Tramp

    7.1

  • Pocahontas main backdrop

    Pocahontas

    6.9

  • Cheaper by the Dozen main backdrop

    Cheaper by the Dozen

    6.3

  • What Happens in Vegas main backdrop

    What Happens in Vegas

    6.1

  • The Lucky One main backdrop

    The Lucky One

    7.2

  • To All the Boys I've Loved Before main backdrop

    To All the Boys I've Loved Before

    7.6

  • Finding Nemo main backdrop

    Finding Nemo

    7.8

  • Lilo & Stitch main backdrop

    Lilo & Stitch

    7.5

  • Cinderella main backdrop

    Cinderella

    7.0

  • The Devil All the Time main backdrop

    The Devil All the Time

    7.2

  • The Parent Trap main backdrop

    The Parent Trap

    7.2

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
monstercircustigergorillaliontransformationmad scientistmurderbetrayalscientistalcoholicsurgeryape woman