Women in Cages (1971) - full transcript

(smooth jazz music)

(bar patrons conversing quietly)

(uptempo jazz music)

(boat engine revving)

(spectators cheering
and applauding)

- Do you know, I still
don't know what you do?

- You might say I'm a player.

(roosters squawking)

- Come on, come
on, don't give up!

Keep fighting, come on, come on!

- Hey, what's that for?



- I don't know.

Playing always excites me.

Come on, come on!

What are you doing?

- You want to be a player?

Hold this for me and don't
tell anyone where you got it.

I'll explain later.

- Rudy!

- You looking for
your laundry, Acosta?

- The girl.

The girl has it.

(dramatic uptempo music)

(spectators cheering)

(roosters squawking)



- Rudy!

Rudy!

- Now, easy baby, easy.

- I've been so scared, I
don't know what's going on!

- It's okay, it's okay.

- And those men, they say--
- Shh.

Let's sit down.

Now listen.

You've been great.

- But they said they
found heroin in my purse?

Over 100,000--
- It was all a mistake.

They're trying to frame me.

Just remember, don't
tell them anything.

There's a reason.

- All right, but I'm scared.
- I know, I know.

But trust me.

Keep quiet and my
lawyers will get you out.

- Does the defendant
have anything to say

before the court
delivers sentence?

- No, your honor.

- This court sentences you
to 10 years hard labor.

To be served at
Carcel Del Infierno.

(dramatic music)

- Let's go.

- Inside, quick.

- Next.

Your name?

- Carol Jeffries.

- [Alabama] Where you from?

- California.

- "California, matron."

Whenever you pigs
speak to the staff,

you say matron.

Understand?

- Answer her back.

- Say it!

- Yes, matron.

- Good.

- Sign here.

- This is going to be
just like back home.

Only different!

Inside!

- No weapons or drugs, Alabama.

- [Alabama] All right.

Let's get the lights off of 'em.

- Okay, move!

(prisoners screaming)
(hose spraying)

(dramatic music)
(prisoners coughing)

- You, in here.

Hurry up.

- My name is Theresa.

- You're an
American, aren't you?

Call me Sandy.

- I'm Jeff.

- I'm Janelle Stokowski.

- Call the pig Stoke.

Drives her wild.

- No one is using that bed.

- What are you in for, Jeff?

- I, uh...

I don't...

(Jeff sobbing)

- [Sandy] Here honey,
you'll make it.

- What about the guard,
the one in charge?

Is she, is she American?

- You mean Alabama,
the chief matron?

Yeah.

She's American.

- She hates just Americans?

- No, but they're
a special target.

You want to watch
out for the playpen.

- Playpen?

- [Alabama] Theresa.

(Stoke shuddering)

- Are you all right?
- Don't touch me!

Don't anybody touch me!

(dramatic music)

(Alabama laughing)

- An appeal would be useless.

There's too much
attention on this case.

- There must be
someone we can reach.

- Not now.

Acosta's putting
on too much heat.

- The only way we can get out

is to tell Acosta where
she got the parcel.

- That's too bad.

She excited me.

Jorge, I'll leave it to you.

Find someone in the
prison to kill her.

- I know just the woman.

- Stokowski.

Visitor.

- The sooner you kill her--

- [Stoke] I need a fix!

- Listen to me, you--

- You started me
on this garbage!

I need it now!

- Am I getting through to you?

- Yeah, yeah.

You want me to kill
the Jeffries girl.

- Do it right.

And our lawyers will have
you out in three months.

- Sure.

But what about my fix?

(Stoke breathing heavily)

- For her.

For you.

- Would you care for a sandwich?

Go ahead and take
it, I have another.

- Thanks.
- Mmhmm.

(dramatic music)

(Stoke shuddering)

(birds chirping)

(gasping)

- [Jeff] Did he eat my sandwich?

- Must be awfully hard
to keep your hair neat

with that big bitch running
her fingers through it

all the time.

- Get off my back, Sandy.

- Or do you take such
a position that, uh,

Alabama can't reach your head?

(dramatic music)

Come on, you little dyke.

- I'm gonna cut your eyes out.

- You wanna love me too?

- Hey come on, stop it!

- Come cut my face up.

- Don't!

- Come and get me.

(Sandy laughing)

Alabama digs me, not you.

- I hate you!

(Jeff screaming)

- [Sandy] Jeff!

Oh, Jeff!

- [Stoke] Are you okay, Jeff?

- What's going on here?

- She said something.

- What?

- About...

You and me.

- Oh?

Take her to the playpen.

(dramatic music)

Put her in the boots.

- No!

No!

(guillotine clanging)

- Strip her.

(dramatic music)

(rope creaking)

There now, comfy?

- What kind of game
are you playing?

- A real nice game.

You will like it.

- You can't scare me.

- Can't I?

(fire crackling)

(breathing heavily)

This is our version
of the hot foot.

(Sandy screaming)

- [Guard] Hurry up.

Hurry up!

Come on.

Get moving, hurry up.

- Don't it make you pine for
those cane fields in the south?

Hit it, slut!

Get moving!

(dramatic music)

Leave her there!

Get back to work, everybody!

(Sandy breathing heavily)

- Are you feeling better?

- [Sandy] Yeah,
Alabama can't hurt me.

- How can she get away with it?

Why don't you report her?

- Alabama has all the power.

The warden doesn't
care about anything

except the money she
can steal from here.

- What about escape?

- There's gonna be jungle
for miles around here.

- Besides, they hire
trackers to hunt you down.

- Trackers?

- Bandits who know the jungle.

- [Sandy] They don't care
how they get you back.

They get $50 whether
you're dead or alive.

- Hasn't anybody ever made it?

- I never heard of anyone.

(dramatic music)

- [Guard] Here she is.

- What are we celebrating?

- It's five years since
I left the States.

- Oh.

What do you know about the
new American in my cell?

- Nothing.

Except she's typical
of the racist bitches

I knew back in the States.

- I love you, Alabama.

- Then massage my
back, it aches.

(dramatic music)

- [Sandy] I've been
good to you, haven't I?

- You're good.

So are others.

Ow!

So you want to play rough, huh?

(whip snapping)
(Sandy screaming)

(Theresa screaming)

(barrel clattering)

(breathing shakily)

- Are you feeling all right?

- Yeah.

That's a bitch if
I ever saw one.

Right?

She and that big dyke sure must
have gotten it on this time.

- Leave me alone, you!

- All right, ladies!

The field hands
eating well today?

I asked a question, Theresa.

- It's good.

- "It's good, matron."

- It's good, matron.

- I like my friends to be happy.

Isn't her hair
beautiful, Theresa?

Theresa?

- Yes, matron.

- Yes it is.

She'll be a relief
after your hysterics.

- Why you!

(prisoners screaming
and shouting)

(laughing)

(Jeff screaming)

(Theresa groaning)

- Get up and go to work.

Everybody!

- [Guard] All right, move out!

Hurry up!

- I'll be all right.

- Stick with it, kid.

You've got eight
years, five months,

and 17 days to go.

- How long have you been here?

- Two years.

- What did you do?

- I killed a rotten
son of a bitch.

My husband.

(breathing shakily)

- Stokowski.

You're not going to
the fields today.

- Sit down.

- Why?

- Since we're both Americans,

I thought we should be friends.

- Jeff and, uh, Sandy
are Americans too.

- Then maybe one day
their time will come.

- Theresa was your friend.

- Theresa became too
sure of our friendship.

- Suppose I became too sure?

- You'd wind up like Theresa.

- Then I see no value
in your friendship.

(dramatic music)

- It could postpone
certain hazards.

- Go to hell!

- I'll send you ahead of me.

Juana!

We were just discussing hell.

Perhaps we can show
her a bit of home.

(Alabama chuckling)

Stop.

(Stoke breathing heavily)

I don't know why you're
not enjoying yourself.

I'm having fun.

(spitting)

(Stoke screaming)

(Jeff gasping)
(dramatic music)

(gun firing)

- Stop!
(guns firing)

- An escape in the fields!

- [Guard] Hands up
everybody, hurry up.

All right, move.

Hurry up.

- You think they made it?

- I hope so.

- Oh, they will be caught.

- Oh, God...

- Celeste and Amelia, huh?

- That's right, Superintendent.

The two of them.

The matron fired one round
before they killed her.

Shall we arrange
for the trackers?

(dramatic music)

- [Sandy] Well, well, well.

Did you have a good time?

- Leave me alone, damn you!

- I didn't know.

(Stoke shuddering)

- What'd they do to you?

- That big dyke...

She...

She's got it out for me.

I gotta get outta here.

I gotta get outta here.

- Look, maybe a good
lawyer can help you.

I mean, my friend Rudy,

I mean, he knows a lot
of smart ones and--

- If they're so smart,
what are you doing in here?

- They're working on an
appeal now to get me out.

- The only way out of here

is the way those girls went.

Through the jungle.

- Oh sure, to be killed
by animals or bandits.

You have to really know the
jungle to survive, Theresa.

- I know the jungle.

I was raised in a village
50 miles from here.

- Would they help?

- I don't know.

Not to escape.

But once I'm there...

They might.

(breathing shakily)

- [Sandy] Who are you writing?

- Well, it's not my mother.

- And you think
he'll write you back?

- Yes.

'Cause he loves me.

- Do you really think
he's going to get you out?

- Yes, if he can.

- Well, has he written you?

- Well...

Not yet.

- [Jerry] Hi, Sandy.

- It's been a long time, Jerry.

- Sorry, I'm on a hot case.

- And my case has lost
its heat, is that it?

- I've been working that too.

- Sure.

You've uncovered new
evidence, I suppose?

- But I have.

It turns out you could
have killed your husband

in self-defense.

If we work it right,
you'll get a new trial.

- So all I have to do is
write the judge I told you so?

- There's a quicker way,
if you're agreeable.

You're in the same cell with
the Jeffries girl, right?

- What, do you want me
to tuck her into bed?

- Nothing that dramatic.

Just make friends with
her, gain her confidence,

get her to testify
against the syndicate.

- [Sandy] Then what?

- I can guarantee your
pardon in three months.

- Three months?

(snake hissing)

(dramatic music)

(snake hissing)

(Jeff screaming)

- [Sandy] What happened?

- [Jeff] There's a snake,
it's crawling all over me!

- There it is!

(metal banging)

- Oh!

- What happened?

- Oh, nothing.

We just, uh, had
a little visitor.

- Here.

You want it?

(chuckling)

- I could kill you for that!

- Those dumb snakes.

They're all over this place.

- I don't know, but
I'm beginning to feel
a little paranoid.

I mean at first, the rat
and now, and now this?

- Have you heard from Rudy?

- Not a word.

- Men are all bastards.

- He's probably in bed
with some slut right now.

- No he's not.

Or maybe they arrested him too.

- For what, jaywalking?

- So what are you gonna do now?

- Wait, I guess.

(somber organ music)

- Theresa, gonna
confess your sins today?

- Yes, matron.

- You better be careful now.

God's punishment could
be worse than mine.

(priest speaking
foreign language)

- Lord Jesus Christ.

Son of the living God--

- You, uh, you don't believe
those lies Sandy said about me?

Do you?

- I don't think
anything about it.

- Well, she's lying.

See, there was this boy when
he was on tour here and--

- You don't have
to explain to me.

- But I want to.

I want us to be friends.

- This is the lamb of God

who takes away the
sins of the world.

Happy are those who are
called to His supper.

- Anyway, he was arrested
for armed robbery.

And they called
me an accomplice.

- How could they do that?

- I was a foreigner.

No friends, no money.

They used me as a scapegoat.

- Something like
that happened to me.

(dramatic music)

Theresa, I need your help.

I'm going to escape.

- What?
- I mean, I think I,

I mean, I know I'm sure that
something has happened to Rudy.

So when we yell snake,
the matron will come
over to kill it.

- And I...

(imitating knife slicing)

- You know, the matrons
are jumpy as cats now.

You could get killed.

- Maybe so.

But you're welcome to
come along if you'd like.

- I don't like it.

- [Guard] All right,
that's enough, everybody.

Get inside.

- Well, think about it,

because we're going
to leave tomorrow.

- [Juana] Out.

Everybody out.

- You're determined?

What about Rudy?

- I'm afraid I'm on my own.

- [Juana] Hurry up.

- Jeff.

I'm with you.

- [Juana] Break it up!

(whistle blowing)

- Attention everybody!

I know this will be a
disappointment to all of you,

but you're not going
to the fields today.

Some dignitaries
will be visiting us,

and they want to
take a look at you.

Take them to the showers.

(hose spraying)

- Two showers in one
week, what luxury.

- [Stoke] This changes your
plans a little, doesn't it?

- Just today, that's all.

We'll go tomorrow.

- I hope there's some
men among the visitors.

- Good morning, warden.

- Good morning.

(Superintendent speaking
foreign language)

- They look human.

- What do you
expect, three heads?

- Commandante?

You are an American, aren't you?

- Yes I am.

- I thought so.

- I spent many years
in your country.

I regret we meet under
these circumstances.

Is everything all right here?

- The food?

- Do you want an honest answer?

- Why, certainly.

- Well, the food is rotten.

The women here are
treated like animals.

- Put her in the hole!

- And there's a nightly
torture by the head matron,

who is nothing but a sadistic--

- Yes, yes, yes, yes.

- So nice.

- [Superintendent]
Now, for the buildings.

- Garcia.

Put her in the hole.

(Jeff gasping)
(dramatic music)

(Jeff screaming)

- Let me out of here!

Let me out of here!

(coughing)

(groaning)

(Jeff sobbing)

Little Miss Muffet
sat on her tuffet,

eating her curds and whey...

Along came a spider
and sat down beside her

and frightened Miss Muffet away.

Who's there?

(sighing)

Jack Sprat could eat no fat.

His wife could eat no lean.

Between them both...

They wiped the platter clean.

- How on earth could
that girl be so stupid?

- She'd believe anything
anybody tells her.

- And that could get her killed.

- After yard break, maybe
they'll let her out.

- Yard break!

Everybody up!

(Jeff screaming)

(dramatic music)

(screaming)

(sobbing)

- Out!

Looks like you don't
like our little hole.

- [Jeff] You tried
to kill me with acid!

- Somebody doesn't like you.

But I like to watch
my little games,

as you'll soon find out.

(Jeff screaming)

(electronic warbling)

(dramatic music)

Well, acid-head, you
were a tattletale, huh?

- What kind of hell
did you crawl out of?

- It was called Harlem, baby.

I learned to survive.

Never have pity.

This game is called survival.

Let's see how well
you can play it.

(electricity crackling)
(Jeff gasping)

I was strung out
behind smack at 10.

And worked in the
streets when I was 12.

You've got a long way to go.

- Is this how you
get your kicks?

(electricity crackling)
(Jeff screaming)

- She has stopped screaming.

- She was too stupid to last
long in this hellhole anyway.

- That's a terrible
thing to say.

We were worried.

What, uh, what happened?

- I just want to sleep.

- Well, I guess
the escape is off.

- No.

I'm gonna go through with it.

- Eyes front!

(somber music)

- No one escapes from my prison.

No one!

(horse neighing)

- [Guard] Put them down.

- These fine gentlemen...

Have never let a
prisoner elude them.

Study them and think about it.

Come with me and I'll
give you your money.

- Are you okay?

- Celeste and Amelia are dead.
- I-I saw.

- I hope that takes care of
any plans you had to escape.

- Theresa?

- Those are bad men.

- I thought of something.

The hole out in the yard,

it connects to the sewage
pipe outside the wall.

- So what?

- So, if we can
get into the hole,

we can make our
escape from there.

- Oh, beautiful.

Suppose you go to
the playpen instead?

- Well, suppose we
get into the hole

without anybody knowing it.

- And how do you propose to
do that, Miss Know-it-all?

- Just wait, just
give me a second.

I think I know how.

(dramatic music)

- Hey, Stoke.

- Jeff!

- This is it, baby.

- [Jeff] Matron?

- What do you want?

- [Theresa] Matron, we would
like to light a candle for

Celeste and Amelia.

- Do it on Sunday.

- But their souls
might be suffering in
purgatory right now.

- It'll only take five minutes.

- All right, I'll
light one with you.

(Juana groaning)
(dramatic music)

- [Jeff] Give it!

Wait for a signal.

- What about her?

- Just leave her there.

Come on, let's go.

- Theresa, give me a hand.

(suspenseful music)

- Juana!

(soft clattering)

Peekaboo.

Come on outta there!

- [Jeff] No, wait, no!

We can use her as a hostage.

(Alabama groaning)

- How is it?
- It's open.

- Well, let's go.

- [Theresa] I'll go first.

Give me that.

- I'm keeping the gun.

- Okay, let's go.

- [Sandy] Now you crawl, pig.

(dramatic music)

(water sloshing)

(frogs croaking)

(suspenseful music)

(water sloshing)

(siren blaring)

(gun firing)
(Alabama groaning)

- [Stoke] Get up!

- [Alabama] You'll
have to carry me.

- [Jeff] Don't!

- [Sandy] Give it to her, Stoke.

- Why not?

A white man raped me, a
white bitch can kill me!

- All right, get up.

(dramatic music)

- [Sandy] Get up!

Oh, she's not hurt,
she's just faking it.

Now get up!

What is it, Theresa?

- It's so dark.

I can't find my way around.

- [Jeff] Then why don't we
stop here for the night?

I mean, we must have
had a good head start.

- You going to shoot me?

- [Stoke] We're
leaving her here.

Let's go.

- No, wait a minute,
she might come in handy.

- Look, she'll die
if we leave her here.

- We'll all die if
those trackers catch us.

- [Jeff] Then maybe why
don't we just let her go?

- What?

To tell them which way we went?

Uh-uh.

We should kill her.

- I'll do it.

- No you don't.

I've got one killing on me
and I don't want another one.

- Look, she tried
to kill me too.

But I don't have to be like her.

- All right.

It's decided.

We'll leave her here.

But tie her up good.

(dramatic music)

(women breathing heavily)

We can't stop now!

- [Jeff] Which way, Theresa?

- Beyond those twin peaks
is a river, Puenta Verde.

- [Stoke] Let's go!

- They definitely came
through here, sir.

- What about the Tommy Gun?
- No sign of it.

- Then they're on their
way to Sunwest Town.

- Or the village
of Puenta Verde.

- Puenta Verde.

That Tapek fellow,

I think Stokowski used
to be his mistress.

- But the syndicate cut him off.

- They still got
one more man there.

- Romero?

- Let's go.

(dramatic music)

- You come back to
free me or kill me?

- [Theresa] To kill you, yes.

But slowly.

(Alabama groaning)

- You tired already?

- You are a devil.

- We all have our
devils, my dear.

Now cut me loose.

- [Tracker] Get her!

(trackers laughing and shouting)

(cloth ripping)
(Theresa screaming)

- Where's Theresa?

Theresa!

Theresa!

- [Stoke] We haven't
got time, come on!

Sandy, come on!

- [Tracker] Let's go
for the other one.

- Wait a minute.

(coughing)

- We don't know
where the village is.

- I do.

And I know a fisherman there.

They can get us
aboard the Zulu Queen.

- The Zulu Queen?

- Rudy's ship?

- Yeah.

Let's go.

(trackers laughing and shouting)

(Alabama screaming)

- [Sandy] Stoke, wait a second!

Let's rest a while.

Say, Stoke, how come
you knew about this, uh,

this fisherman?

- My, my old man, we
both worked for Diaz.

- You never tod
me you knew Rudy!

- I worked for him.

- You...

Why didn't you ever tell me?

- Nevermind.

I'm helping you both
get away aren't I?

- Are you?

- Let's keep moving.

(animals calling)

- Stoke, wait a minute.

Let's wait for Theresa.

- No we won't, move on.

- I'm with her,
you're out-voted.

- Well this is with me,
and it says we go now.

I said move!

(dramatic music)

(waves crashing)

- We made it.

- [Sandy] Not quite.

Where to now, big shot?

Huh?

- [Stoke] You two hide
somewhere and wait.

- [Sandy] Come on over here.

Come on, Jeff.

(dramatic music)

- Who are you?

- I...

I was uh...

I was Tapek's girl.

You remember?

- Yes, I do remember.

I was very sorry
when he was killed.

- Forget it.

Listen...

I need a fix.

- A fix?

You mean--
- Yes.

I...

I've got, uh, two
girls waiting outside.

And I want $500
a piece for them.

- That can easily be done.

- One of them is
Diaz's own girl,

so he can do what
he likes with her.

- That Jeffries girl?

- Yes.

(breathing shakily)

Now my fix.

Give it to me.
- I never had it.

- But Jorge promised!

He said he'd give it to me--

- I know, I know.

He'll be waiting at the boat.

- I don't like this.

I've heard things
about the Zulu Queen.

- [Jeff] You keep saying
that, what have you heard?

- Shh.

- [Man] Stokowski's
waiting for you.

Follow me, it's safe now.

Hurry up.

(dramatic music)

I told you to stay down.

You, stay there.

- What's the score?

- He's contacted
one ship by radio.

Jorge was--
- What about Rudy?

- I don't know.

(boat engine revving)

- [Jorge] Get in
everybody, hurry up.

- [Stoke] Jorge, where is it?

- [Jorge] You'll
get it on the ship.

Keep on moving.

- [Jeff] Jorge, where's Rudy?

- [Jorge] He has
business in the city,

but he'll meet you on the ship.

Come on!

- [Man] That one with long legs,

she has a special
relation to Rudy.

I should get at least
$1,000 for her, hmm?

- [Jorge] You'll get something
else if you don't shut up!

- [Man] You won't dare.

I'm the guy who delivers dolls

to that floating whorehouse
of yours, remember, hmm?

- [Jorge] Give it to him, Rico.

(Jorge laughing)

(man groaning)

- [Jorge] Get her, hurry up!

(dramatic music)

(water sloshing)

(gun firing)

(boat engine revving)
(guns firing)

- [Sandy] And that's
when I ran into you.

- [Man] Thank you, Miss Granger.

I'm sure we'll be able to
have your case reopened.

- Here, put this on.
- Thank you.

I hope it's not too late for me.

- What about Jeffries?

Do you think she
will testify now?

- Jeff?

I...

I don't know.

(upbeat jazz music)

(bar patrons laughing
and conversing)

- [Jeff] Rudy!

- Baby.
- You made it!

- You know what I came here for.

- Jorge, give her all
the trips she needs.

- She'll get it.

- Rudy, can we get outta here?
- We'll take your ship

that comes by so
we can get aboard.

- You are not getting
aboard on a ship, my dear,

but this one.

- What are you talking about?

But you can't do that.

We made a deal!

(gasping)

- Our deal was to kill
her, but you didn't.

(Stoke breathing heavily)

- You bastard!

You mean I trusted you
and you've been using me?

Rudy!

Rudy!

- And you can trust that
we can use you again.

- Rudy?

- Take her to the back
and give her a lesson.

- Rudy!

- [Jorge] Get in.

Give her a shot.

Take it off.

This is called on
the job training.

- If Jeffries comes
ashore and testifies,

that will be legal, wouldn't it?

- What do you think, Luca?
- That's right, Major.

- And if we go
aboard unofficially?

That would be legal
too, wouldn't it?

- I guess so.

- So if we just
happened to escort

the cooperative Miss
Jeffries ashore,

there can be no
complaints, can there?

- No, sir.

- Good, you just
volunteered for a night out.

(boat engine revving)

(uptempo rock music)

- There she is.

- [Man] We have a visitor.

- You don't remember me.

- Of course I do.

We had a great time,
you were very good.

- I'm Captain Acosta.

Try to remember.

I'm Captain Acosta.

I want you to
testify against Diaz.

- Oh!

- Look, I want to help you.

I want to get you off the ship.

- You can't, they
watch us too closely.

- We can at least try, come on!

Come on!

- Acosta, this way!

(suspenseful music)

- Where is Jeff?
- Number three, senor.

- [Quinn] Sir, let's get moving.

(guns firing)

- Take her with you.

When you get on deck
above, my men will get you.

Now, go!

(guns firing)

(bar patrons
conversing excitedly)

(suspenseful music)

(guns firing)

(boat engine revving)

- Jump!

Come on!

(water splashing)

- It's all over.

Get the girls back to work.

(dramatic music)