| Last Woman on Earth | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Roger Corman |
| Screenplay by | Robert Towne |
| Produced by | Roger Corman Charles Hannawalt |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Jacques R. Marquette |
| Edited by | Anthony Carras |
| Music by | Ronald Stein |
| Distributed by | Filmgroup |
Release date |
|
Running time | 71 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Last Woman on Earth (often referred to asThe Last Woman on Earth, but it appeared without the wordThe in the film's title card) is a 1960 Americanscience fiction film that was produced and directed byRoger Corman. It tells the story of three survivors of a mysteriousapocalypse, which appears to have wiped out all human life on earth.[1]
The screenplay is byRobert Towne, who also acted in the film under the pseudonym Edward Wain.[2] The music was composed and conducted byRonald Stein. The film was originally released as adouble feature withThe Little Shop of Horrors.[3]
Harold Gern (Antony Carbone), a successfulbusinessman fromNew York who is constantly inlegal trouble, is spending a holiday inPuerto Rico with his attractive wife, Evelyn (Betsy Jones-Moreland), whom he married "between trials." They are joined by Martin Joyce (Robert Towne, billed as Edward Wain), Harold'slawyer, who has come to discuss the latest indictment.
Harold invites him along on a boat trip during which all three try out some newly boughtscuba divingequipment. When they resurface, they are unable to breathe without using their scuba tanks. They climb back into their boat and find Manuel, thecrewman, dead, apparently ofasphyxiation. Upon rowing ashore, they enter thejungle. With their air running out, they discover that the foliage gives offoxygen that they can breathe.
When they go into town, they find nobody left alive and cannot contact anyone byradio. It dawns upon the three that they might be the only survivors in the area, maybe in the world. The domineering Harold takes charge. They concentrate on becoming self-sufficient, and the two men fish, asmarine creatures have survived. Later, they also find living insects and baby chicks, presumably newly hatched. Harold feels that in the long run, they will have to move north to a colderclimate to avoid problems with insects andfood preservation and to increase their chances of meeting other survivors.
Harold asserts ownership of Eve as the husband. Martin reminds him the rules have changed. Eve has never felt love from Harold and was only a possession. She finds freedom. Harold and Martin have a physicalfight after Martin has slept with Eve. She tells her husband she was notraped. Harold gives Martin two hours to leave. Eve wants Martin to ask her to come with him and he does. The two leave together and Harold follows in a chase to theboat. Harold beats up and kills Martin. He holds out his hand to Eve and the two go together.
The film is in thepublic domain, and several DVD editions exist, including one byAlpha Video.[4] Most are copies of black and white 16 mm prints, struck for television, but a faded colour print is carried by theInternet Archive. The Retromedia release is transferred from a color-corrected 35 mm print and was released on DVD throughImage Entertainment, featuring introductions by Corman, with commentary tracks by Jones-Moreland and Carbone. The release also features the other two films in Corman's "Puerto Rico Trilogy,"Creature from the Haunted Sea andBattle of Blood Island, shot back to back withLast Woman.
