Bullet Points: Big Bad Mama II
Most of the time if a movie is going to spawn a sequel, the process is complete within a few years. There have been extreme circumstances where a movie will get a sequel in the same calendar year. And there are times where more than a decade can pass before a movie gets a sequel.
1987’s Big Bad Mama II starring Angie Dickinson is the sequel to the original Big Bad Mama (also starring Dickinson) that was released in 1974. Despite there being 13 years between the original and the sequel, the events of Big Bad Mama II take place less than two years after the events of the original film.
- Prologue: The movie begins with a look at a day in the life of the McClatchie family, Wilma McClatchie (Angie Dickinson) is hanging out the wash while her husband Aaron is chopping some wood. The McClatchie daughters are busy too with Billie Jean (Danielle Brisebois) giving the car a tune up and Polly (Julie McCullough) is feeding the chickens. But their simple life at their modest Texas home is about to be destroyed by a greedy banker, Morgan Crawford, who is looking to foreclose on the McClatchies. Crawford, expecting trouble, has brought the law with him to make sure the foreclosure happens. Aaron McClatchie demands that Crawford, the sheriff and the deputies get off his land… a shootout erupts, Aaron McClatchie ends ups dead and Wilma and her two daughters are forced to leave their home… but Wilma vows to get even with Morgan Crawford and we are off to the races.
- Hell Hath No Fury: Wilma, Billie Jean and Polly return to their bank robbing ways… which is a perfect way to get back at Morgan Crawford (Bruce Glover) since he owns the banks. But Crawford is also running for Governor of Texas, which proves to be inspiration for the vengeful mind of Wilma McClatchie. Wilma and her daughters get all dolled up and buy their way into a Morgan Crawford fund raising event. Once inside, they rob all of the wealthy guests/potential campaign contributors and they take Crawford’s son Jordan hostage. Now the plan with Jordan is not to hold him for ransom money, instead it is to paint a picture to the voters of Texas that Jordan is an outlaw working with the McClatchies to sully the Crawford name. Who is going to want to vote for a guy with a criminal for a son?
- Love is in the Air: The delightful Robert Culp plays journalist Daryl Pearson. Pearson is fascinated by the story of Wilma McClatchie and her two daughters and starts bird-dogging them with varying results. But it isn’t long before the story of Wilma McClatchie becomes secondary to Pearson and he becomes infatuated with the woman herself. This culminates with a mature sex scene between the two. There is also a love story between Jordan Crawford and Polly. It was really a case of love at first sight.. much to the chagrin of Polly’s older sister Billie Jean. It is no surprise things boil over between the siblings and we get a brief sister on sister brawl!
- Full Circle: With an 83 minute runtime, Big Bad Mama II whizzes by and before you know it we are back where we started… the now former McClatchie home. It is here, the spot where her husband was gunned down, that Wilma and her daughters stand their ground and are embroiled in a shootout with Crawford, the local sheriff and members of the National Guard. Without spoiling too much, I can tell you that the ending is pure dynamite both literally and figuratively!
Some movies are created for two simple purposes… to make money and to be fun. I don’t know what kind of financial success Big Bad Mama II was, but I do know the movie succeeded in the fun department.
The film was directed by Jim Wynorski, the man behind personal favorites like Deathstalker II and Chopping Mall, and you can see his fingerprints all over the movie… most notably the female nudity that graces the screen. Wynorski is an unapologetic breast man and the boobs are on full display in Big Bad Mama II.
So if you like boobs, bullets, bank robberies, car chases and explosions you’ll want to give Big Bad Mama II a look. If you like Bonus Bullet Points, just keep reading…
- Crime Spree Montage: One of my favorite parts of the movie is a classic crime spree montage, complete with the spinning newspaper headlines. Classic! The bullet holes in the screen transitions were a nice touch too.
- Familiar Faces: Charles Cyphers (Death Wish II and Escape from New York) plays a policeman who unsuccessfully attempts to arrest Wilma and Pearson after their night of passion in a brothel… Speaking of the brothel, the establishment is run by a woman named Alma. Alma was played by Jacque Lynn Colton. I instantly recognized her from her role in Iron Eagle… Last but not least was Ace Mask, who played the Maitre D’ that Wilma bribes to get into the Crawford fund raiser. Ace is a favorite of Wynorski and had roles in several Wynorski directed films including 976-Evil II, Munchie and The Return of Swamp Thing.
- If You Ever: …wanted to see Robert Culp forced to strip down to nothing but a hat on the side of the road, then this is the movie for you.
- Body Double: Monique Gabrielle of Deathstalker II fame was the body double used for Angie Dickinson’s nude scenes. I knew those boobs looked familiar!
