The Wild Women of Wongo (1958)

Directed by James L. Wolcott, The Wild Women of Wongo is a gloriously bizarre low-budget adventure film that’s become a cult favorite for fans of “so-bad-it’s-good” cinema. Set on a mythical tropical island, the film features tribes of beautiful women, handsome men, and beastly brutes—all tangled in a tale of mating rituals, mistaken identities, and melodramatic jungle justice.

Plot Summary
On the island of Wongo, the gods have made a curious mistake: the women are stunningly beautiful, while the men are brutish and primitive. Across the water, the island of Goona has the opposite problem—handsome men and unattractive women. When the Goona men arrive seeking mates, the Wongo women rebel against their fate and challenge tribal traditions. Cue a series of jungle trials, romantic entanglements, and a climactic battle with invading ape-men.

Cast Highlights

• Jean Hawkshaw as Omoo
• Mary Ann Webb, Candé Gerrard, and Adrienne Bourbeau (not to be confused with Adrienne Barbeau) as Wongo women
• Ed Fury as Gahbo, one of the Goona men
• Zuni Dyer as the Priestess
• Arthur Anderson (uncredited) as the voice of the parrot, adding comic commentary throughout

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

• The “Temple of the Dragon God” was filmed at the real-life Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida
• Tennessee Williams was allegedly on set and directed parts of the film for fun—he was reportedly a friend of Wolcott
• The film’s title inspired a song by The Tubes, featured on their album Outside Inside
• Some of the stock music used in the film also appears in Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957), adding to its camp credentials
• The film was shot in Florida, using local models and amateur actors, many of whom never appeared in another film