The Doll Squad (1973)

PG | 101 mins | Adventure | 1973

Director:

Ted V. Mikels

Producer:

Ted V. Mikels

Cinematographer:

Anthony Salinas

Editor:

Ted V. Mikels

Production Designer:

Mike McCloskey

Production Company:

Feature Faire, Ltd.
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HISTORY

Although the Box review lists this film's release date as Sep 1973, no other source confirms that date. Credits on the viewed 2007 DVD print include a 1973 copyright statement for Feature Faire, Ltd., but the film was not registered for copyright. The order of the end cast credits differs significantly from the order of the opening cast credits. In the opening cast credits, which appear several minutes into the film, Michael Ansara is listed first, followed by Francine York and Anthony Eisley. Ansara is listed seventh in the end credits, however, and Eisley, ninth. York is listed first in the end credits, followed by the five other actresses playing members of the “Doll Squad.” York is listed again, in the eighth position after Ansara.
       The names of the other Doll Squad actresses are repeated at the end of the final cast list, preceded by the phrase: “Members of the Doll Squad.” Actress Bret Zeller’s name is misspelled “Brett” in the opening credits, and Gustaf Unger’s first name is misspelled “Gustave” and Herb Robins’ last name is misspelled “Robbins” in both the opening and end credits. In addition to separate editor and writing credits, Ted V. Mikels is listed onscreen with the credit “Directed and produced by.”
       As noted in HR production charts, shooting on the film took place in Los Angeles. Commentary by Mikels included as special content in the viewed DVD print provided the following information about the production: Southern California locations included Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, the interior of a discount store in North Hollywood, the Sherman Oaks home of associate producer ...

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Although the Box review lists this film's release date as Sep 1973, no other source confirms that date. Credits on the viewed 2007 DVD print include a 1973 copyright statement for Feature Faire, Ltd., but the film was not registered for copyright. The order of the end cast credits differs significantly from the order of the opening cast credits. In the opening cast credits, which appear several minutes into the film, Michael Ansara is listed first, followed by Francine York and Anthony Eisley. Ansara is listed seventh in the end credits, however, and Eisley, ninth. York is listed first in the end credits, followed by the five other actresses playing members of the “Doll Squad.” York is listed again, in the eighth position after Ansara.
       The names of the other Doll Squad actresses are repeated at the end of the final cast list, preceded by the phrase: “Members of the Doll Squad.” Actress Bret Zeller’s name is misspelled “Brett” in the opening credits, and Gustaf Unger’s first name is misspelled “Gustave” and Herb Robins’ last name is misspelled “Robbins” in both the opening and end credits. In addition to separate editor and writing credits, Ted V. Mikels is listed onscreen with the credit “Directed and produced by.”
       As noted in HR production charts, shooting on the film took place in Los Angeles. Commentary by Mikels included as special content in the viewed DVD print provided the following information about the production: Southern California locations included Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, the interior of a discount store in North Hollywood, the Sherman Oaks home of associate producer Paul Burkett, the shooting range of the Los Angeles Police Academy in Elysian Park, and the interior of a hospital in Santa Ana. Scenes depicting the interior of O’Reilly’s compound home were shot at Zsa Zsa Gabor’s house in Palm Springs, CA, and the compound exteriors were filmed at the Institute of Mental Physics in Twentynine Palms, CA. Island exteriors were shot on Catalina Island. Mikels, who also appears as a guard in the film, noted that he used his own Cadillac as a prop but later sold the car to help pay for the production. The film includes a solarized title sequence and many kaleidoscopic dissolves.
       According to a modern source, the film’s budget was $256,000. The same source noted that because Mikels had to pre-sell foreign distribution rights to pay for the film’s completion, he lost out on a lucrative domestic distribution deal. Many modern sources have commented on the similarity between The Doll Squad and the popular television series Charlie’s Angels (1976—1981), produced for the ABC network by Aaron Spelling. According to one modern source, The Doll Squad actress Tura Satana invited Spelling to a screening of the picture, and two years later, Charlie’s Angels, with its trio of beautiful undercover agents, including one named “Sabrina,” made its television debut. Although some modern sources claim that Mikels sued Spelling for copyright infringement, no evidence of a lawsuit has been found.

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
7 Jan 1974
p. 4653
Daily Variety
18 Jun 1973
---
Hollywood Reporter
11 Aug 1972
p. 12
Hollywood Reporter
13 Oct 1972
p. 12
Los Angeles Times
16 Nov 1973
---
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
PRODUCTION TEXT
A Ted V. Mikels Film Production
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
PRODUCERS
Assoc prod
WRITERS
Scr wrt
Scr wrt
Scr wrt
PHOTOGRAPHY
1st asst cam
2d asst cam
Lighting
Lighting
Still photog
ART DIRECTOR
Prod des
FILM EDITORS
Asst ed
COSTUMES
MUSIC
Mus comp and cond
VISUAL EFFECTS
Spec eff
MAKEUP
Makeup and hair styling
PRODUCTION MISC
Scr girl
Prod asst
Prod asst
STAND INS
SOURCES
SONGS
"Song for Sabrina," music by Nicholas Carras, lyrics by Buddy Kaye and Solomon King, sung by Solomon King.
PERFORMED BY
DETAILS
Release Date:
1973
Premiere Information:
Los Angeles opening: 14 Nov 1973
Production Date:
mid Aug--mid Oct 1972 in California
Physical Properties:
Sound
Color
Eastman Color
Duration(in mins):
101
MPAA Rating:
PG
Country:
United States
Language:
English
SYNOPSIS

In his office, U.S. Senator Stockwell is watching the broadcast of the launch of Star Flight XII with Central Intelligence Agency chief Victor Connelly when a mysterious male voice cuts into the television transmission. The man announces he has sabotaged the mission as punishment for Stockwell’s refusal to turn over microfilm containing nuclear missile plans, and seconds after liftoff, the spaceship blows up. Determined to catch the saboteur, Connelly feeds data about the event into the agency’s computers, which advise him to contact secret agent Sabrina Kincaid. After Stockwell and Connelly show Sabrina the carrier pigeon the saboteur had sent to pick up the microfilm, she contacts two members of her all-female spy unit, The Doll Squad, and recruits them for the assignment. Unknown to Sabrina, thug Munson and two cohorts have been following her and soon murder the recruits. Munson then tries to kidnap Sabrina, but she attacks him with a specially designed lighter that shoot flames into his face, then escapes unharmed. The next day, at a skeet shooting range, Sabrina tells Stockwell that a spy has infiltrated his office, and Connelly reveals that Munson’s thugs, who were apprehended, had silver disks implanted in their necks. After Connelly explains that implanted silver disks were part of another plot foiled three years before by a group of covert CIA agents, Sabrina secures the names of the agents, believing one of them may be the saboteur. Aided by computers, Sabrina identifies agent Eamon O’Reilly, a former lover who disappeared mysteriously after his last mission, as the likely traitor. Before she can alert Connelly, Nancy Malone, Stockwell’s secretary, tries to ...

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In his office, U.S. Senator Stockwell is watching the broadcast of the launch of Star Flight XII with Central Intelligence Agency chief Victor Connelly when a mysterious male voice cuts into the television transmission. The man announces he has sabotaged the mission as punishment for Stockwell’s refusal to turn over microfilm containing nuclear missile plans, and seconds after liftoff, the spaceship blows up. Determined to catch the saboteur, Connelly feeds data about the event into the agency’s computers, which advise him to contact secret agent Sabrina Kincaid. After Stockwell and Connelly show Sabrina the carrier pigeon the saboteur had sent to pick up the microfilm, she contacts two members of her all-female spy unit, The Doll Squad, and recruits them for the assignment. Unknown to Sabrina, thug Munson and two cohorts have been following her and soon murder the recruits. Munson then tries to kidnap Sabrina, but she attacks him with a specially designed lighter that shoot flames into his face, then escapes unharmed. The next day, at a skeet shooting range, Sabrina tells Stockwell that a spy has infiltrated his office, and Connelly reveals that Munson’s thugs, who were apprehended, had silver disks implanted in their necks. After Connelly explains that implanted silver disks were part of another plot foiled three years before by a group of covert CIA agents, Sabrina secures the names of the agents, believing one of them may be the saboteur. Aided by computers, Sabrina identifies agent Eamon O’Reilly, a former lover who disappeared mysteriously after his last mission, as the likely traitor. Before she can alert Connelly, Nancy Malone, Stockwell’s secretary, tries to ambush her. The ever-alert Sabrina gets the drop on Nancy, who has been working for O’Reilly, and forces her to reveal that O’Reilly is living on Lorenzo, an island off the coast of Venezuela. Later, after Nancy kills herself with a cyanide pill, Sabrina assembles a new Doll Squad to track down O’Reilly. The karate-trained squad consists of “Cat,” a librarian; Lavelle Sumara, an exotic dancer; swimmer Sharon O’Connor; and psychologist Elizabeth “Liz” White. Meanwhile, at his compound on Lorenzo, O’Reilly, who learned about The Doll Squad from Nancy, plots with minions Maria and Joseph to waylay Kim Luval, a squad recruit working undercover at an island carnival. There, brutish Joseph overpowers Kim and delivers her to O’Reilly. O’Reilly then orders cohort Dr. Cahaymen to create a lifelike mask for Maria so she can impersonate Kim. Sabrina, meanwhile, checks into a Lorenzo hotel with her squad, and that night, goes to meet Kim at the carnival. Sabrina quickly deduces that the disguised Maria is not Kim and knocks her out. When Joseph tries to pursue Sabrina, who has taken the unconscious Maria prisoner, Cat blows up his car with explosives. Later, at the squad’s hotel room, Liz hypnotizes Maria and compels her to reveal the location of O’Reilly’s compound and Cahaymen’s house, where Kim is being held. The squad sneaks into the room where Kim is tied up and replaces her with the still hypnotized Maria. Soon after, O’Reilly orders a guard to kill Kim, and the guard unwittingly murders Maria. The next day, Sabrina, Lavelle, Kim and Sharon rent a boat to reach O’Reilly’s compound, while Cat and Liz rent a Jeep and head for the compound by land. Using the boat’s radio, Sabrina tries to hail Connelly, unaware that drug-addicted deck hand Rafael, an O’Reilly spy, has disabled it. Rafael then radios O’Reilly to alert him about the squad’s imminent arrival and, after the women take off in a skiff, follows them to shore. Cat and Liz, meanwhile, kill and disarm two guards protecting one of the compound’s perimeters by tricking them into drinking some alcohol laced with explosives. Nearby, Rafael catches up to Sabrina’s group and, while pretending to help them, leads them instead to O’Reilly’s guards. That night, after Sabrina, Kim, Sharon and Lavelle are handcuffed and imprisoned, Cat and Liz sneak up and begin firing on the men guarding them. Sabrina, Sharon and Lavelle are eventually freed, but Kim is shot and killed. As Cat and Lavelle plant explosives around the compound, Sabrina, Liz and Sharon steal weapons and attack the guards. In the ensuing melee, Sharon is wounded and Sabrina is captured and delivered to O'Reilly in the compound. O’Reilly explains to Sabrina that, with the help of Cahaymen and the doctor’s twin brother, he intends to release thousands of rats he has infected with bubonic plague in order to extort money from governments around the world. Still attracted to Sabrina, O’Reilly invites her to be his “queen,” but she rejects him. As Rafael leads her away, Sabrina grabs his gun and shoots him, then later eavesdrops on a meeting in which O’Reilly is addressing a group of spies representing the various countries he plans to target. Now fully aware of O’Reilly’s scheme, Sabrina arranges to meet her cohorts on the beach, after she has secured evidence from the compound. O’Reilly soon catches her, however, and takes her to his bedroom. There, the two enjoy a tense flirtation until Sabrina sprays O’Reilly with mace hidden in one of her rings and runs him through with the antique sword on his fireplace mantle. At the beach, Sabrina rendezvous with the squad, and together the women shoot and blow up the Cahaymen twins and O’Reilly’s remaining guards. The next morning, after the squad is picked up by the rental boat, Sabrina radios Connelly and demands a week’s vacation.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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