Cobra Woman (1944)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Maria Montez - the name conjures up Technicolored tropical islands, Arabian nights, exotic jungle maidens. She was definitely the true Queen of Technicolor during the 40s. She was the original "jetsetter", traveling the world. Of course she was originally a model but Hollywood had always been her goal and with her determination and her gigantic ego, she was going to make it. She thought she was the world's most beautiful woman. After meeting Orson Welles she remarked "He is as spectacular as I am"!!!! During a private showing of "Arabian Nights", she stopped the film, turned to the executives and asked - "Isn't that the most beautiful woman you have ever laid eyes on!!" If Deanna Durbin singlehandedly saved Universal Studios during the 30s, Maria Montez ran a close second. Her exotic Technicolor fantasies earned millions for Universal during the 40s.I don't know about being the most beautiful but she was extremely gorgeous and in "Cobra Woman", with its lush tropical settings, Technicolor and playing twins - one good, one evil - she had never been shown to better advantage. Her co-star was Jon Hall. He had already made several adventure films with Dorothy Lamour, who Maria Montez was about to displace as "sarong queen", so he was an ideal choice. Sabu completed the threesome this time (sometimes it was Turhan Bey) and was a welcome comedy relief.A strange blind??? peddler comes to the village just in time for the wedding of Ramu (Jon Hall) and the beautiful Tollea (Maria Montez). Before the wedding can take place Hava (Lon Chaney Jnr.) the beggar, has kidnapped Tollea and taken her back to her people at Cobra Island (she had been taken away as a baby). Ramu and Kado (Sabu) go to the island and search for her. She has been bought back to save the island from her sister's cruelty. Ramu bumps into the evil sister Naja while swimming but thinks it is Tollea. He is then captured. Kado, with his companion Koko, the chimp, comes across Hava, who leads him to Tollea.The costumes of Naja are unbelievably gorgeous. Poor Tollea spends the film in plain sarongs!! Naja's "Cobra Dance" has to be seen to be believed - she looks like she is enjoying herself so much - while picking young women to be put to death!!!! Tollea confronts Naja, who dies after a spectacular fall from a balcony. Tollea then dresses as the high priestess and impersonates Naja in the cobra dance.This is an amazingly rich and extravagant film in which no expense was spared. Richard Brooks, who went on to direct "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958), "Elmer Gantry" (1960) and "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1962) was given an early script writing credit for "Cobra Woman".Highly Recommended.

My parents went to see this movie when they were first married.(1944) The name Tollea was selected for me when I was born. And after all these years I finally got to see part of the movie COBRA WOMAN. I would like to purchase a good copy of this movie from some where. Of what I have got to see It was very interesting.I liked Maria Montez a lot a very exciting woman. Lon Chaney was a very young man at this time. I didn't think they could do double takes back at that time. Must have been the first time or close to the first time. I have read that Maria Montez was only 34 when she died. To bad she was around to give us lots more movies to share. Although she starred in many, I think I would have liked to have seen more resent movies. Thanks

This has to be one of the most hilarious bad films of all time. I gave it a 5: 1 for film but 10 for the fun (equals out to a 5). It has what was well on the way to becoming Maria's "stock company" Jon Hall, Sabu and Turhan Bey (except Cobra Woman was without Turhan Bey). Mary Nash plays, I think, the high-priestess of the Cobra Temple or maybe even Maria's nanny(it's been a while since I saw it and it's not available on VHS or DVD so you must depend on the very occasional TV showings to catch it)with her very best Maria Ouspenskaya (the slowest taking woman on the screen...by the time she finished you either forget what she was talking about or no longer cared!). The 2 Marias actually appeared in one film together, The Mystery Of Marie Roget. Pity there were no more. Maria did a couple of films with the always over-the-top Gale Sondergaard. A great pairing. Montez is responsible for two of the funniest moments in screen history; one from SUDAN (again the stock company but less Sabu). Jon Hall discoveries her in the desert, dying from lack of water...BUT...her hair is perfectly coiffed and not a touch of makeup is out of place. (Old Hollywood...don't you just love it!) And the other is in Cobra Woman. After they have overthrown both the high priest and Maria's evil twin sister (is there any other kind?)the country is without a ruler. Nash pleads with her to take possession of the Cobra Throne but she refuses, preferring to go away with Hall and Sabu on their fishing boat. Nash (in her very best Ouspenskaya) says to her: "But mine chhhild, your peep-ole neeed 'chu" Then, without even changing the expression on her face (which she seldom did anyway) Maria turns to her and utters the unforgettable line: "Gif me dah Cob-bra Jo-ols." In my mind still one of the most fall-down-funny lines in the history of film.

Yes, my summary is my favorite line from this fruity, eye-popping Technicolor extravaganza. I've been watching it on television (and now on VHS from AMC) for 30 years and never get tired of it. Only one question....what period is it supposed to be? The plot is pretty archaic, but our Maria is decked out in high-forties shoulder pads! And from what trading post did she get those Joan Crawford pumps? This film is a lulu and really defies description. One wonders if the original 1944 audiences took it seriously, or even then was it considered camp? Maria is constantly reminding her subjects of her status: "Yuuuu ferget, I am de high prrrriestess! I haf spokan!" Forget Julia Roberts, give me Maria and a bag of buttered popcorn on a rainy Saturday afternoon!