Ginger

"Ginger"'s plot is flimsy, the dialog is wretched, its sentiment very un-PC (and just a tad bit racist), its look cheap, and the acting... um, well, I'll be kind and say a few people at least try to say their lines with feeling. Yet despite all these things going against it, I was thoroughly entertained.

Cheri Caffaro, the star of this made-in-New Jersey sexploitation "thriller," is largely what held my attention. Nearly a foot taller than any of her co-stars, with a slim figure, long-bleached blond hair and nearly non-existent eyebrows, Caffaro is more handsome than pretty or sexy. She could easily be mistaken for a transsexual ("Ginger: The Gender Avenger"--now THAT would've really been interesting). As an actress she's... better than some of the other non-actors in this movie, but she's got presence. Her "seductive" dance in a nightclub is a camp classic--made more so by her visually offensive pink outfit. There's a lot of sex and nudity, and more than a passing nod to bondage enthusiasts, with three scenes that have characters handcuffed or tied to beds, including the late Calvin Culver, better known as gay porn star Casey Donovan. Perhaps Culver/Donovan's work in hardcore movies is why he didn't balk at being shown Full Monty. Viewers also get treated to an anemic cat fight on the beach and some tepid lesbian bonding. Though all the sex is decidedly un-erotic, these scenes certainly work better than "Ginger"'s clumsy action sequences.

"Ginger" kind of plays like a relic from the porno chic era, only minus any hardcore content. Even the opening credits, with our heroine cruising the Jersey Turnpike in her gold Corvette, had me thinking of the title sequence of "Deep Throat" (yes, I know "Deep Throat" was released a year later, but I saw it before "Ginger"). And like a pornographic film, "Ginger" has absolutely no redeeming social value. And I enjoyed every minute of it!

There's something special about the three "Ginger" movies, something I'd very much like to see re-made or re-tried with today's sensibilities and a bigger budget. While "Ginger" is, by far, the worst of the three ("The Abductors" and "Girls are made for Loving" are actually completely watchable B-movie fare albeit with a strong sexual / sadomasochistic touch), the idiosyncrasies which made this series stand out among other, more forgettable drive-in fare, are already there in part 1. The premise of a female hero not only surviving in an otherwise men's world (and genre) but positively calling the shots is extremely rare even today. In "Haywire", Gina Carrano is bashing male stars left and right, but she is far from "calling the shots" - neither does she sexually predate like Ginger does. The same goes for Angelina Jolie's "Salt". In fact, Ginger is maybe the nearest we get in movie history to what was otherwise a very male role-model. (This is probably why she was called "the female James Bond" although she's not a secret agent at all). And while today's killing ladies are as a rule ridiculous (even Carrano - trained in martial arts - looked silly beating up guys double her weigth), Ginger very rarely relies on beating someone up - she works the weapons of a woman as well as guns, poison, traps or whatever it takes to take her opponents out. Disturbing but, in a refreshing way, at least halfway realistic!

A word on acting: As mentioned, the two follow-up movies are much better, "Ginger" otoh sports acting that can only be described as a-tro-cious. Except for Cheri Caffaro herself, she's neither a top-model nor a great actress but she has screen presence in spades (a bit like Schwarzenegger) and there are a few scenes in here (the killings of Rodney and Jimmy for instance) where she comes over truly menacing and mesmerizing. Part of her screen presence may be thanks to her tall body - maybe the other actors were cast so they were a bit smaller but she does own every scene she's in.

So, while I can't really recommend this slow-paced and cheaply-made stinker to anyone on its own merits, there are certain qualities in there which are really interesting and some themes which I would liked explored in future productions.

In my honest opinion, watching this movie qualifies as an utter waste of life. I can't think of any other movie (I hesitate to call this a "film") that displays less intrinsic value to the viewer. As a matter of fact, I feel dumber for having seen it. Beware the "chicks and bullets" cover, it's utterly misleading, and there is nothing remotely erotic in there. If you're in the mood to be utterly disgusted, by all means watch it. As a matter of fact, this movie engenders a certain dissapointment in the human race in general for having produced it.

I don't have too much else to post here that the previous commenters haven't mentioned. Extremely cheap (a lot of it obviously filmed in motel rooms), surprisingly unerotic despite the ample nudity and sex, and sorely lacking in action and excitement. And with a lead character running around all of this who never comes across as cunning, intelligent, or even sexy. The movie is also sorely lacking linking footage, with people all of a sudden in situations that come out nowhere, or their fates left up to question. Apparently, the filmmakers didn't care enough to show us this, so why should we at all for the entire movie?

Ginger (1971) stars Cheri Caffaro as Ginger McAllister, a 23 year old woman who takes an undercover assignment for a private detective.

Rex Halsey and his crew have found a way to coax money out of the local rich kids. They get people hooked on drugs, prostitution, and blackmail people into paying them. Rex and Rodney and the crew look at it as steady income.

Private detective Jason Varone has sent two people in to investigate, but both times were failures. Ginger seems to have her reasons why she wants to go undercover. She doesn't seem to care if she survives or not. Ginger will use her mind and her body to get in good with Rodney, Rex's go to guy, and get the answers she's looking for.

Cheri Caffaro is the best thing about the film. If you want to see more of Ginger, the Abductors is the next film in the series.