Tonight's Movie: Cobra Woman (1944)

COBRA WOMAN (1944) is the last of the six Maria Montez-Jon Hall films I've watched over the last 14 months, all thanks to Kino Lorber Blu-rays.

What a joy it's been for me to get to know these Universal Pictures fantasies for the very first time! They are wonderful escapism, and it's easy to understand why war-weary audiences flocked to these films in the early '40s.

The movies have all been great fun; my favorite is probably ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES (1944). The other four films, in chronological order, are ARABIAN NIGHTS (1942), WHITE SAVAGE (1943), GYPSY WILDCAT (1944), and SUDAN (1945).

COBRA WOMAN, as it happens, proved to by my least favorite of the six films, despite the fun of having a "two for one" deal with Maria Montez -- she plays identical twin sisters!

Unfortunately the script by Richard Brooks and Gene Lewis, from a story by Scott Darling, has a disturbing storyline with lots of torture and people dying horrible deaths. It's mostly implied rather than seen, but still, it's not fun to watch terrified people screaming in fear. I far preferred future director Brooks' screenplay for WHITE SAVAGE.

COBRA WOMAN was directed by Robert Siodmak, now known as one of the great directors in the film noir genre. One of the interesting things about the Montez-Hall films has been the association of names like Brooks, Siodmak, and James M. Cain, all later better known for film noir and crime films. 

As the 71-minute story begins, sweet and beautiful Tollea (Montez) is soon to marry her love Ramu (Hall). Tollea suddenly disappears; it turns out her grandmother (Mary Nash) has kidnapped her and brought her back to the island where she was born. Tollea had been sent away as an infant in order to protect her...it's a long story having to do with cobra venom.

But now Tollea's younger twin sister Naja (also Montez), the high priestess of the island, rules her people cruelly, routinely consigning them to death in a volcano. Strangers to the island are also executed, which means Ramu and his friend Kado (Sabu) are going to be in big trouble when they arrive in search of Tollea...

To be sure this film has its high points, including spectacular Technicolor cinematography by W. Howard Greene and George Robinson. A scene where Naja walks to a swim with her handmaidens, filmed at the Los Angeles Arboretum, is amazing.

As always, Montez is a stunning visual treat in sumptuous Technicolor, wearing gowns created by Vera West. Though she didn't get much acting credit at the time, I found Montez believable as two distinct characters, the icy, evil Naja and warm and loving Tollea. The scene where the two sisters confront one another is terrific, especially its unexpected conclusion.

I might not have been a fan of the story, but it moves like lightning, running just over an hour, and every aspect looks great, even the pretty matte paintings. And despite the more unsavory aspects of the story, in the end it leaves the viewer smiling.

COBRA WOMAN is available on a lovely Blu-ray from Kino Lorber. It includes a commentary track by Philippa Berry, the trailer, and a trailer gallery for four additional films.

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