Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

In the early to mid-1970s, a lot of films were made by American film companies working in the Philippines. Why? Because it was CHEAP! President Marcos gave these cheapo filmmakers lots of incentives to come to his country--even if most of the movies they made were pure schlock! So, when I saw this film was made in the Philippines and was directed by Eddie Romero (famous for schlocky Filipino productions), I thought I needed to see it. After all, the films are usually pretty funny--albeit unintentionally so! One thing you should know about the movie, however, is that despite the DVD title "Ebony, Ivory and Jade", it isn't exactly a blacksploitation film. The title "Savage Sisters" seems much more appropriate.A group of female American athletes are taken prisoner and held for ransom. Some of his associates are idealistic rebels--but they don't know that their leader has no intention of honoring any of him promises. He plans on taking the random money and either killing the ladies or selling them into slavery.Now you'd think this would be a great recipe for schlock film, but you would be wrong. Because it's a PG-rated film* and appears to be less sensationalistic than most films of this genre, it has to rely more on acting--and that's a problem since no one in the film appears to be able to act. In addition, the music is among the worst I've ever heard in a film--so very repetitive that you are about ready to plunge an ice pick into your ears to make it stop! Overall, a rather stupid and poorly made film without even exploitation value. So, essentially, you are left with nothing.*Although IMDb lists this as rated R, the DVD says PG and it has no nudity or extreme violence.

I was warned that this would not be a typical women-in prison film. Cheri Caffaro may have tempted us with clothing that she was about to burst out of, but the key words are "about to." Even the shower scene with Caffaro and Rosanna Ortiz was a bust. Even Gloria Hendry in a bathtub was covered in soap. Even the matron (Rita Gomez), who jumps into bed with all the officers, hides herself well.It's all about some crazy General, who has 10 stars and wears medals on his T shirt, who is after a million dollars the rebels stole. He enlists Capt. Morales (Eddie Garcia) with the promise of a star. Hendry takes Caffaro and Ortiz and they make a plan of their own with a shifty John Ashley, who plans to double-cross them. Funny, but a big disappointment for WIP fans.

If you've seen at least one Filipino action film made in the 1970's than you pretty much know what to expect with this but with all the sleazy aspects of the story this film seems to just fall short in terms of exploitation. Story takes place in a Banana Republic where two female revolutionaries are locked up but while in jail their group robs a General of $1 million dollars. Jo Turner (Cheri Caffaro) and Mai Ling (Rosanna Ortiz) are being prepared for torture by sleazy hooker turned sleazy cop Lynn Jackson (Gloria Hendry) but they get busted out to try and get the money back.*****SPOILER ALERT***** Jo and Mai learn that their revolutionary gang was murdered by a group led by a thug named Malavael (Sid Haig) and have stolen the one million and are now trying to find a way off the island. Lynn is told by her slimy boyfriend W.P. Billingsley (John Ashley) about the money and convinces everyone that they should steal it back with everyone getting equal shares but eventually he shows his dishonest side and the three women decide to do it on their own.This is directed by Eddie Romero who has made and starred in practically every action film shot in the Phillipines during the 1970's and even though he had to work with low budgets he became very adept at using whatever he had and producing some pretty entertaining films. Romero also directed "Black Mama, White Mama" and the ending to that film is almost exactly like the ending to this and I'm pretty sure it was shot at the same pier. This is an entertaining action film but I do think that it fails on an exploitation level and with the exception of maybe 3 nip slips this has no nudity to speak of. I'm not going to defend myself if called a sexist (because I don't think that I am, not a big one anyway) but a big attraction to these low budget Filipino black action films is both the violence and the nudity. This film has scenes that offer hookers, brothels, female prisons, whip wielding S&M guards, Hendry in a bathtub, and a General who uses his fingers but with all this going on the film is noticeably careful not to show much skin. So okay, I was deeply disappointed by that but at the same time how can I not recommend a film that stars the beautiful and luscious Hendry (Live and Let Die) and Caffaro (Ginger) and let's not forget Haig who yet again delivers one of his patented over the top sleazy performances. Not a great exploitation flick but a pretty entertaining actioneer that fits in well with the genre.

'Savage Sisters' comes from the same period as the Jack Hill led Filipino "chicks in chains" flicks of the early 70s ( see 'The Big Doll House' and 'The Big Bird Cage' for the best of the genre). Hill wasn't involved in this one mind you, the director is Eddie Romero, also responsible for the classic 'Black Mama, White Mama', who also appears in a supporting role as Captain Morales. The three aforementioned movies all co-starred blaxploitation icon Pam Grier. Grier isn't along for the ride in 'Savage Sisters', the Grier role is taken by Gloria Hendry ('Live And Let Die', 'Black Belt Jones'), and while the prison side of things isn't as important as the others in the series, fans of them will really dig this one. As always, while filmed in the Philippines, the movie is set in some unnamed Banana Republic. General Balthasar (Leopoldo Salcedo) plans on smuggling one million dollars US out of the country. A group of local revolutionaries plan on stealing the money and form an uneasy alliance with some bandits, led by the wily Malavael (the legendary Sid Haig, a regular in these kinds of movies), and his bumbling sidekick One-Eye (Vic Diaz, another familiar face). Malavael not surprisingly double crosses the revolutionaries and makes of with the cash. Meanwhile Jo Turner (Cheri Caffaro) and Mai Ling (Rosanna Ortiz), each with varying commitment to the Revolution, are captured before they can rendezvous with their comrades, who include Turner's lover. While in prison they are interrogated by tough hooker turned cop Lynn Jackson (Hendry). She is later convinced by the shady W.P. Billingsley (John Ashley, who also co-produced) to break the two women out of prison and help them track down Malavael, with the secret intention of getting hold of the cool million for themselves. However, Billingsley's plan of betrayal may not go exactly as planned as Jackson begins to bond with her "savage sisters" on the jungle journey. Newcomers to these kinds of movies may not enjoy this as those more familiar with their style and approach, but I enjoyed 'Savage Sisters' a great deal, and think it deserves to be much better known than it currently is. A tough and cool movie with plenty of fun and thrills.