Ann Corio Movies
Inspired, perhaps, by the success of Gypsy Rose Lee and Sally Rand but more likely in an attempt to compete with Paramount's Dorothy Lamour, PRC producer George Batcheller brought stripper Ann Corio to the neighborhood screens in Swamp Woman (1941), a miserable jungle melodrama sunk by the little studio's lack of production values. But to everyone's surprise, the delectable Miss Corio proved to be more than a beautiful face (and body), and after the execrable Jungle Siren (1942), she signed with Monogram for Sarong Girl (1943) and Call of the Jungle (1944). It wasn't much but Corio had nothing to be ashamed of and she positively out-performed competitor Margie Hart, who completely floundered in the wretched PRC-produced Lure of the Islands (1942). Corio left films after playing The Sultan's Daughter (1944), with the Ryans, Tim and Irene, but remained in the headlines well into the 1970s via her successful touring show This Was Burlesque. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1944
Burlesque queen Ann Corio took time out of her runway activities in the 1940s to star in three Monogram features, of which Call of the Jungle was the last. Unlike the earlier Corio vehicles, Jungle is not an escapist musical but a somber drama-or at least, that was the intention. Wrapped in a fetching sarong, the star plays Tana, a South Sea damsel who doubles as an amateur detective. Unfortunately, Tana does not inform the authorities that she's taken it upon herself to track down a pair of jewel thieves, and as a result she is suspected of being a crook herself. With all the other leading man serving in WW2, Tana's romantic interest is played by James Bush, a capable if colorless character actor. Billed forth in Call of the Jungle is Claudia Dell, who once played Spanky's mom in the "Our Gang" series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann Corio, James Bush, (more)
- 1943
In this frothy musical, a sultan's lovely daughter finds herself courted by a handsome American. WW II erupts and her father finds himself courted by an agent from the German government for the rights to the oil fields. When that doesn't work, the conniving agent then tries to sway the Sultan's personal secretary. Songs include: "I'm Always the Girl," "The Sultan's Daughter," "Clickety-Clack-Jack," and "I'd Love to Make Love to You." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann Corio, Charles Butterworth, (more)
- 1943
Moving slightly up the poverty-row ladder from PRC to Monogram, Burlesque queen Ann Corio starred in the musical comedy Sarong Girls. Corio is cast as stripteaser Dixie Barlow, who manages to avoid a prison sentence when her attorney Gil Gailord (Damian O'Flynn) claims that she's the sole support of her gray-haired old mother. Problem is, Dixie's mother is long gone, forcing Gil to find a substitute -- which he does in the person of retirement-home resident Mattie (Mary Gordon). Meanwhile, Dixie plans vengeance on Jefferson Baxter (Henry Kolker) the self-styled reformer responsible for her arrest. With the help of the no-nonsense Mattie, Dixie eventually cools down and finds true love with Baxter's son Jeff (Bill Henry). Genuinely funny comedy relief is provided by Monogram regulars Tim & Irene Ryan and Mantan Moreland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann Corio, Irene Ryan, (more)
- 1942
Burlesque stripper-turned-thespian Ann Corio plays yet another white girl brought up in the jungle after her missionary parents are killed in this unintentionally funny espionage thriller from PRC. As Kuhlaya, Corio rescues a couple of Americans, Captain Gary Hart (!) (Buster Crabbe) and Sgt. Mike Jenkins (Paul Bryar), from the ubiquitous Nazis. But just as they all feel safe, the party discovers that their hotel in the jungle is operated by a fifth columnist named Herr Lukas (Arno Frey). The latter's bored wife, Anna (Evelyn Wahl), attempts to seduce Captain Hart, much to the consternation of Kuhlaya, who has fallen in love with the handsome American. An evil chief (Jess Brooks) performs a bit of voodoo but Dr. Harrigan (Milton Kibbee), Kuhlaya's foster-father, calls his bluff and the jungle is soon free from both Nazi sympathizers and evil natives. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1941
Even those film buffs who derive pleasure from the output of poverty-row PRC Pictures are hard put to say anything nice about Swamp Woman. Famed striptease artist Ann Corio, a much better actress than many have claimed, stars as Annabelle, a cabaret dancer who returns to the Florida bayous whence she came. Here she finds that her ex-sweetheart Pete (Jack LaRue) is engaged to marry her niece Lizbet (Mary Hull). When escaped convict Jeff (Richard Deane) stumbles onto the scene, Annabelle teams up with Pete to prove Jeff's innocence. Figuring prominently in the proceedings is Annabelle's sleazy agent Brand (Jay Novello) who all but wears a sign on his forehead proclaiming I'M THE VILLAIN! Poorly written, photographer and directed, Swamp Woman is emblematic of all that was wrong with the worst of PRC; the only person to emerge from this fiasco without embarrassment is Ann Corio, who on the strength of her performance herein was signed up for future film appearances. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack LaRue, Jay Novello, (more)
