“A leopard may change its spots easier than an evil woman her instincts.”
After WWIII the Earth has been devastated due to nuclear fallout. By the year 3000, survivors of the war have split into three tribes, the Upriver People, the Norms and the Mutates. The Norms worship the Devil, and the Mutates still believe in Christian bible teachings. The Upriver tribe only believes in world domination. The leader of the Norms’ son, Robert (Robert Clarke) is to be married to Catherine (Gloria Saunders), the daughter of the High Priest. Final wedding preparations are underway. The leader of the Upriver People, Gordon (Stuart Randall), along with some of his entourage, travel to Manhattan to the Norms territory on the pretense of celebrating the upcoming wedding.
On the way to the wedding, Gordon and the Upriver tribe capture two Mutates. They kill one of them and are ready to kill the other when Robert, out hunting for the feast, intervenes and forces Gordon to release him. The Mutate, Riddon (Ron Randell) turns out to be the leader of his people.
Unbeknownst to the Norms is that a traitor, Jason (Douglas Evans), is in league with the Upriver tribe and smuggles weapons to them. Gordon and his men kill Robert’s father. Robert and his friend, Bram (Robert Bice), manage to escape but are captured by the Mutates.
Taking advantage of the battle between the Norms and the Upriver people, the Mutates raid the underground city of the Norms and kidnap some of their women. One of them is Ruth (Margaret Field). Ruth had an argument with Catherine because Catherine had switched sides and was now in league with the Upriver people. Ruth and Riddon become attracted to each other. Robert convinces Riddon that they should work together to stop an enemy to both clans.
“Captive Women” AKA “3000 AD” in the UK was released in 1952 and was directed by Stuart Gilmore. It is an American low budget science fiction movie. The film was re-released in 1954 as “1000 Years From Now”.
There’s a lot about this movie that’s hokey, but it’s also got a rather interesting, plot. Although the plot is somewhat basic, there are several subplots woven in that gives the film some flesh. The movie also incorporates some propaganda and religious undertones.
I think the only reason the movie was called “Captive Women” was because the Mutates would raid the Norms’ stronghold and run off with their women in hopes that fresh blood would help in weeding out the mutant characteristics. Well, that and they needed a spicy title to get people to watch it. The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic Manhattan, New York. The Norms live in the subway system and the Mutates live in what I can only assume is New Jersey since they have to cross a river to raid the Norms settlement.
The movie is noted for being the first movie to explore the effects of long-term nuclear radiation and how it affects societies. Most of the time the films done in the 50’s focused more on the immediate effects of radiation on the human body and a plethora of films on insects being exposed.
All in all, there are glimmers of a good idea mixed in with a rather talky script and OK acting.