The Fiend of Dope Island
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Nate Watt
Bruce Bennett
Robert Bray
Ralphie Rodriguez
Milton Steifel
Miguel Angel Alvarez
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Charlie Davis, self-proclaimed "baron" of a Caribbean island, wields his whip freely as he exploits the natives, paying slave wages and charging inflated prices at his canteen. His illegal sidelines include growing marijuana and smuggling firearms. Despite the attempts of his chief foreman, Davey, to control Charlie, he grows ever more megalomaniacal. Charlie soon arranges for his gunrunner, Capt. Fred, to import dancer Glory to the island by offering her a $500 advance and the promise of a nightclub engagement. Once there, Glory realizes she has been duped and tries to leave, but Charlie attacks her and only Davey's protection saves her from rape. With no choice, that night she dances for Charlie, as the islanders watch in awe of her beauty. Just then, Davey enters and insists that Charlie join him in loading Fred's boat with a cache of marijuana. Throughout the night, Charlie drives his workers mercilessly. The next day, Glory befriends the locals, who adore her, and walks through the island jungle, unaware that Charlie is searching for her in a fury. When she stumbles across the work site, Davey admits to her that Charlie is smuggling marijuana and warns her to "forget" what she knows. After fifteen-year-old Naru locates Glory, they return to the cantina, where they find Charlie throwing bottles at the island's alcoholic, American doctor. Glory saves him by sweet-talking Charlie, despite her revulsion. Later, the doctor and Davey discuss the need to restrain Charlie and protect Glory. To that end, that night they drug Charlie, hoping he will fall unconscious before Glory finishes her dance. He has almost succeeded in raping her when he finally collapses, but when Davey enters, Charlie revives and fights him with his whip. Davey eventually overtakes Charlie and flees with Glory to a hut in the jungle. As Charlie whips his assistants nearly to death, Davey, helped by the doctor and many of the islanders, blows up the ammunition cache and traps Charlie in the cantina under rifle fire. During the night, Glory and Davey fall in love, although he refuses to reveal what brought him to the island. The next day, while Glory helps as one of the island women gives birth, Charlie radios Fred and schemes to escape. When one of the men guarding the cantina falls asleep, Charlie sneaks out and finds Glory and Davey kissing by the beach. Laughing maniacally, Charlie lassoes the couple and shoots at them, but Davey breaks free and fights him. Charlie is winning until Davey gains control of the whip and subdues him. The next day, Fred returns with two other men, all of whom draw their guns and demand Charlie's release. Charlie breaks free of his bonds and, as he fights Davey, the two fall into the ocean. Naru leads the men in sneaking up on Fred and his henchmen, who flee in the boat. Just then, sharks appear in the water, and Naru pulls Davey to safety, but Charlie is killed. The islanders look forward to a brighter future, and Glory and Davey plan their marriage. Later, one of the island women shows the doctor a card she has found in Davey's pants pocket, identifying him as an inspector from the American Bureau of Narcotics.
Director
Nate Watt
Cast
Bruce Bennett
Robert Bray
Ralphie Rodriguez
Milton Steifel
Miguel Angel Alvarez
Edmundo Rivera Alvarez
Molly Odell
Yvonne Peck
Ruth Fernandez
Tito Enriquez
Eddie Ortiz
Baby Gonzalez
Russell Torres
Amos Rivera
Tania Velia
Crew
Jaime Alvarez
Bob Beche
Bruce Bennett
Antonio Betancourt
Mark Carabel
Victor Carrady
Rafael Ramon Cobian
Ken Darby
James Gaffney
Frank Leonetti
Mary Mayer
David S. Odell
Jack H. Odell
James Peterson
José Raúl Ramírez
Lawrence Rapport
Gayne Rescher
Patrick Slattery
Nate Watt
Harold Winston
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
At several points during the film, an unnamed song is sung by a native singer. One scene includes brief footage of Tania Velia topless. The actress is identified in the onscreen credits as "The Yugoslavian Bombshell." Although the credits list Velia with the statement "introducing," she had appeared in two earlier American releases.
As noted in the Filmfacts review, The Fiend of Dope Island was shot in the Caribbean. The film was released on DVD in May 2002 as a double feature with the 1961 release Pagan Island (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1961-70). The DVD, which was presented by David F. Friedman and Irwin S. Joseph, contains an alternate credit sequence in which The Fiend of Dope Island is entitled Whiplash.
