Action Cult Classic

Revolution brews among women prisoners in a brutal 18th-century island penal colony.

WOMEN OF DEVIL'S ISLAND

1962 · 1h 26m · NR · Action / Adventure / Drama · IMDB TMDB

Female prisoners are shipped to Devil's Island penal colony. They are indoctrinated into the prison life from abusive guards and then a new prison governor arrives with planned reforms.

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Vault Note

Where the powdered wigs are as sharp as the shivs.

Programmer's Pick

This is no dainty costume drama—the penal colony is as rough as its guards, and the convicts are nobody’s damsels. Between gold panning and pirate plots, Women of Devil's Island delivers a hard-edged blend of historical grit and pulp intrigue.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Editor’s Choice

The Oldest Profession

Quick Answer

What is Women of Devil's Island about?

Women of Devil's Island is a 1962 France-Italy action, adventure, and drama film directed by Domenico Paolella about French female convicts sent to Devil's Island, where they endure harsh treatment and encounter a revolutionary governor with a hidden agenda.

Details & Specs

Director: Domenico Paolella
Writer: Domenico Paolella
Release: 1962
Runtime: 1h 26m
Country: France, Italy
Language: Italian
Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama

Overview

Set against the backdrop of late 18th-century France, Women of Devil's Island follows a group of female convicts—including streetwalkers, murderers, and revolutionaries—who are exiled to the notorious Devil's Island penal colony. Under the brutal command of Lefèvre and his abusive guards, the women are pressed into panning gold for the French crown. The oppressive regime seems unshakeable until the arrival of a new governor, who claims authority from the king and implements more humane reforms. Yet, beneath the surface, the governor harbors secrets and alliances that may alter the fate of everyone on the island. Tensions between authority and rebellion simmer in this women-in-prison adventure.

Ending Explained Spoilers — click to reveal

Henri Vallière, the revolutionary posing as governor, teams up with pirates to steal the gold and overthrow Lefèvre's oppressive rule.

The ending resolves the struggle between tyranny and rebellion as Vallière’s ruse pays off, liberating the women from Lefèvre’s brutality and redistributing power on Devil’s Island. The involvement of pirates and revolutionary cunning underscores the film’s theme of resistance against corrupt authority, and the women’s fate is dramatically altered by the coup. The climax ties together the film’s threads of deception, survival, and uprising in classic pulp fashion.

Vault Note

Where the powdered wigs are as sharp as the shivs.

Programmer's Pick

— SassyFlix Programmer

Editor’s Choice

The Oldest Profession

Why Cult

Women-In-Prison Setting

The film immerses you in the harsh world of a female penal colony, with all the power struggles and survival tactics that entails.

Period French Flair

Set during the reign of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, it serves up powdered wigs, colonial intrigue, and revolutionary tension.

Pirates and Revolutionaries

Alliances with pirates and undercover revolutionaries add layers of deception and danger to the prison drama.

Cruel Warden vs. Reform

The power clash between Lefèvre’s cruelty and the new governor’s reforms fuels the film’s central conflict.

Cast & Crew

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Director: Domenico Paolella Writer: Domenico Paolella

Guy Madison Henri Vallière

Michèle Mercier Martine Foucher

Federica Ranchi Jeanette

Marisa Belli Melina

Paul Müller Lefèvre

Tullio Altamura Dubois

Antonella Della Porta Louise

Gisella Arden Maeva FP Fernando Piazza Michael

Margaret Rose Keil Rosy CD Claudine Damon Pauline

Vera Besusso Francoise

Carlo Hintermann Captain Duval

Scene Gallery

Trailers & Clips

Questions from the Vault

What is Women of Devil's Island about? +

Women of Devil's Island is about French female convicts sent to Devil's Island, where they face harsh treatment until a revolutionary posing as governor arrives with a secret plan.

When was Women of Devil's Island released? +

Women of Devil's Island was released in 1962.

Who directed Women of Devil's Island? +

Women of Devil's Island was directed by Domenico Paolella.

How long is Women of Devil's Island? +

Women of Devil's Island has a runtime of 86 minutes.

What genre is Women of Devil's Island? +

Women of Devil's Island is an action, adventure, and drama film.

How does the new prison governor conceal his true intentions? +

He arrives with a forged letter from the king and pretends to institute humane reforms while secretly plotting with pirates.

Explore

Sub-Genres

Women In Prison

Keywords

Gun Prison Cult Women's Prison Boat Island Tied Up Women In Prison Gunshot Water Sister Sister Relationship Escape Attempt Ship Female Prisoner Gold Rowboat

Alternative Titles

Atrapadas en la isla del Diablo, Le prigioniere dell'isola del diavolo, L'île aux filles perdues