COBRA WOMAN

Maria Montez and Jon Hall

COBRA WOMAN (1944). Director: Robert Siodmak. 

Ramu (Jon Hall), betrothed to Tollea (Maria Montez), learns that his beloved has been kidnapped off their island home and taken to her birthplace, Cobra Island.  Her grandmother, the queen (Mary Nash), wants Tollea to take the throne from the High Priestess, Naja, who happens to be Tollea's evil twin.  Ramu sails to Cobra Island with his adoring buddy Kado (Sabu), to bring Tollea back, but they have to contend with Naja, who likes to sacrifice her people to a volcano, as well as her nasty associate, Bartok (Edgar Barrier). Ramu does receive some assistance from the mute Hava (Lon Chaney, Jr.), but will it be enough to reunite the lovers? 

Evil High Priestess: Montez

Arabian Nights, starring the trio of Jon Hall, Sabu, and Maria Montez, was so successful that they were reteamed for two other pictures, of which Cobra Woman is the third and last. Mildly entertaining, it was a step downward for the group, being similar to say, a Jungle Jim movie, only in technicolor and with better production values. The best scene is the wild and vivid "Cobra Dance" that is performed with a live cobra! Montez delineates her two different characters in the broadest of strokes, but she is fun spitting commands at her subjects and others. Mary Nash probably makes the best impression, although she has to compete with chimp Koko, who is given her own theme music. Universal recognized the publicity value of Montez' scantily-clad persona, so she is top-billed in this film whereas it was Hall in Arabian Nights. The co-screenwriter for this was Richard Brooks, who went on to write and/or direct some better-known Hollywood films such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. 

Verdict: Montez' Hollywood career was fast running out. **1/2.