Private Duty Nurses (1½ Stars)

This film, made in 1971, is the second in the the tetralogy of nurses films sponsored by Roger Corman as executive producer. In general I'm a fan of his and respect him for making good quality low budget films, but during his long and varied career he's been responsible for a few turkeys. This is one of them. I've only given it a half star because it features pretty nurses, but nothing else speaks for it.

Three nurses, Lola, Lynn and Spring, rent a small house in Manhattan Beach, California, when they get their first job in the city after qualifying. After the opening scenes we never see them together. Lola dates a black doctor who has been barred from being hired at the South Bay Hospital because of his skin colour. Spring dates a motor cyclist who puts his life at risk by driving dangerously in his races. Lynn dates a doctor who is investigating pollution in the bay. These are all interesting stories in themselves, but swapping from one to another every few minutes doesn't help. If anything, it gives the film the feeling of a soap opera episode. Added to this, after about an hour the film editing becomes erratic. The pictures flash and words are repeated, in a misguided attempt to create a work of art. As I already said, the girls are pretty, but the film is nowhere near as sexual as the poster above suggests. There are only a few glimpses of bare breasts. Mostly we're just treated to pretty smiles while they're wearing their uniforms. Isn't it tragic when a film poster is sexier than the film itself?

I own all four of the nurses films in a DVD box set. None of them are really outstanding. I'll never watch the films again. If any of my friends who live locally want the set they can have it.