Pretty Maids All in a Row

Plot

At Oceanfront High School, female students are being targeted by an unknown serial killer. Meanwhile, Ponce, a male student is experiencing sexual frustration, surrounded by a seemingly unending stream of beautiful and sexually provocative classmates. Michael "Tiger" McDrew is the high school's football coach and guidance counselor, who has frequent sexual encounters with several female students.

In class, Ponce develops a crush on substitute teacher Miss Smith as he presents his report on John Milton's Paradise Lost. Tiger tries to befriend Ponce and help him deal with his sexual needs by encouraging him to seek the affections of Miss Smith. Ponce tells him he constantly has an erection when talking to an attractive woman. Later, Tiger talks to Miss Smith and recommends that she teach Ponce to build confidence, telling her he's impotent.

After school, Miss Smith takes Ponce to her home, where she arouses him reading poems by Milton. Ponce flees into the closet, but Miss Smith convinces him to emerge and then tells him that she knows about his sexual problem and would like to help him with it. When she notices his erection through his trousers, she believes progress has been made.

The next day in school, Miss Smith informs Tiger of her progress with Ponce and of the boy's attraction to her. Tiger tells Miss Smith that at their next meeting, she must perform a more informative assessment of Ponce.

Following Tiger's suggestion, Ponce revisits Miss Smith and gives her a liquor-filled chocolate duck as a gift. He becomes nervous and leaves, but then soon returns to retrieve his keys, which he accidentally left behind. Clad only in a sexy nightgown, Miss Smith behaves provocatively and kisses him passionately. The next morning, Ponce and Miss Smith are seen lying on the bed and having sex before heading to school.

Meanwhile, young girls continue to be murdered. Detective Sam Surcher of the state police has been investigating the case. Eventually, Surcher suspects Tiger is the killer. Ponce learns that Tiger is guilty when he discovers evidence in his office. Tiger drives Ponce to a pier and confesses, and then apparently commits suicide by driving his car into the ocean, but his body is never recovered. Surcher suspects that Tiger has faked his death.

After Tiger's memorial service, a much more confident Ponce flirts with several female students, taking one for a ride on his motorcycle.

Cast

Cast notes

This film was John David Carson's feature-film debut.

Dawn Roddenberry, producer Gene Roddenberry's daughter, has a bit part in the film as "Girl #1".

Production

Development

The novel was published in 1968. Producer Jay Weston and director James B. Harris originally optioned the novel and assigned William Hanley to write the script. Joe Namath was originally envisioned in the role of the football coach. Gene Roddenberry rewrote the script and became the film's producer. Roger Vadim was named director for the film, his first in two years and his first American film. Although Vadim had previously signed contracts with Paramount and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), he ended the contracts because he was not provided creative control. Vadim claimed that he was persuaded to return to MGM:

It seemed this time [MGM was] more interested to give more credit to the director. 'We have changed' they said. But from the moment I get here I fight like hell. They want names but they don't want to pay for them. For the first time I will be at a studio for a major company in Hollywood. In a way I like a challenge. I really think it's necessary to get involved with something new. It's so good to break all your habits. In France I can do anything, here I have to fight. That's a good thing. They respect you if you fight and it keeps you alert.

Vadim also said, "I am not trying to make a statement on America. I tell a story and the story happens to be located in America."

Casting

Rock Hudson was signed to star in July 1970. Brigitte Bardot was offered the female lead but was busy with a prior commitment, and Angie Dickinson played the role. The cast included eight young female newcomers, the "pretty maids": Brenda Sykes, Joy Bang, Gretchen Burrell, Joanna Cameron, Aimée Eccles, June Fairchild, Margaret Markov and Diane Sherry.

Filming

The film was in production from August 10 to October 25, 1970. Much of the film was shot at University High School in West Los Angeles. Years later, a University High School administrator told the Los Angeles Times that the high degree of sexual and violent content of the film should have precluded it from being approved for filming at the school. Other scenes were shot at Santa Monica Pier and Venice Marina, while the football sequence was filmed at Rancho La Cienega Park using a local football team and school band.

Release

Marketing

The April 1971 issue of Playboy magazine published an article about the movie written by Vadim. This article included a nine-page pictorial of actresses Angie Dickinson, Gretchen Burrell, Aimee Eccles, Margaret Markov, Playboy bunny Joyce Williams, and others.

Theatrical run

Pretty Maids All in a Row had its world premiere in Atlanta, Georgia on March 24, 1971. It premiered in New York City the following month, on April 28, 1971.

Home media

The Warner Archive Collection released the film on DVD on November 18, 2010. Warner released a Blu-ray edition on June 30, 2026.

Reception

The film was poorly received by most critics, with Roger Ebert calling it "embarrassing" and Ken Hanke of Mountain Xpress remarking: "In 1971 this was pretty daring and trendy. Unfortunately, it's no longer 1971."

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 8% of 12 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.4/10.

Quentin Tarantino selected this film as one of his choices for Sight & Sound magazine's 2012 poll of the Greatest Films of All Time.