Pretty Maids All In A Row

You would think a collaboration between writer Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, and filmmaker Roger Vadim, the director, would be some out of this world space epic. But when these two combined their talents in 1971, the end result was the sexy, murder mystery/black comedy Pretty Maids All In A Row.

It's a time for free love at Oceanfront High School, and not just for the students, but for the teachers as well. But when dead bodies of the female students begin popping up, a virginal teen, John David Carson, tries to figure out who the killer is. Unfortunately he has sex on the brain making it hard, pardon the pun, for him to play sleuth. The football coach, Rock Hudson, decides to help the boy out with his sexual problems by attempting to hook him up with a sexy substitute, Angie Dickinson.

This is an odd little film. It's basically a drive in sex comedy, but the murder mystery distinguishes it from being a t&a fest. As does the cast. It's odd to see such Hollywood heavyweights as Hudson and Dickinson, plus a supporting cast that includes Telly Savalas, Roddy McDowell, and Keenen Wynn, in this kind of fare. But they all seem to be having a blast. And I'll admit I did too! But I love this era of the drive in feature.

Pretty Maids All In A Row is a sexy, good time.

It's available on dvd thru Warner Archive.