As the previous reviewer has commented, fans of the "Wonder Woman" comic and the later effort by Lynda Carter will overall be very disappointed. Indeed, this is not the Wonder Woman we are used to (different 70's style "no cleavage" costume, blond hair) but Cathy Lee Crosby is indeed a wonder to behold. Having moved on from semi-pro tennis player with little acting experience, she holds her own well against foe Ricardo Montalban (although this "foe" has to be one of the most charming, non-threatening villains ever portrayed in a Super Hero film). Notable appearance by original "Price Is Right" gal Anitra Ford as a fellow Paradise Island "lady gone bad." Quirky highlights include a "James Bond" type arsenal of bracelets, a "hidden" not-so-magic lasso, and, low and behold, Wonder Woman actually checking in to a hotel (perhaps someone would notice she's really Diana Price?). And who could ever forget Artie Butler's catchy theme that sounds like it uses a Dentist's drill as the main instrument. Believe it or not, I do enjoy this TV Movie as an "alternative" Wonder Woman, but I'm just glad that ABC gave the Super Heroine another chance after this failed Pilot. The world may have never met Lynda Carter.
30 Reviews
An Average Film For A More Than Average Superhero...
P3n-E-W1s314 July 2017
So this was a different take on the Wonder Woman mythos, opting to go with a blonde version of the Amazonian Goddess. This may have been because Cathy Lee Cosby might not have wanted to die her hair for the part or don a wig. Whatever the case may be she does an amiable job as Diana Prince and I would've watched a series with her as Wonder Woman, it's a shame the script wasn't too brilliant, it was your average fair for '74. Also, gone is the iconic and eye-popping costume to be replaced with a modified track suit.
I like Warner's and McEveety's decision to use Crosby since she was a major athlete at the time she could easily cope with the action scenes... which reduced the need to bring in a stuntman in a wig. She's also a pretty decent actor and fit this version of the character well. It would have been nice to have the fight scenes choreographed a little better and speeded up a tad, a few special effects wouldn't have gone amiss to show her strength, as was the case with the later series.
As for the other actors, there wasn't anything too spectacular about them. Even though I do like Montalban a lot, he is very underused here. In fact, I think that can be said of most, though, Andrew Prime does have a bit more power behind his performance. This could all be down to McEveety's direction, who doesn't give us anything particularly new here,
Though Black sticks to the origin pretty well, things start to get messy once we're off Themyscara. We see Diana Prince working as a Secretary for Steve Trevor, though secretly she's the one they send in to get the job done. So she's undercover in her own business. What I found really great and funny was the fact that Everybody else appeared to know Diana Prince was Wonder Woman; this says a lot for her company - the only spies who didn't know her secret. Even with this unintentional humour, Black does add some intentional humour to the story by incorporating a burro to bring the top secret plans to Abner Smith. This is one well- trained Ass... The other thing wrong with the script is the villains' names. I, for one, do not find either Abner Smith or George Calvin particularly frightening or awe inspiring. Calvin is a psychotic and cold blooded killer so it would have been nice for him to be given a more fearsome name or nick-name. This is based on a comic after all and in the 70's they were filled with evil doers with weird pseudonyms. The Joker wouldn't have been the same if he was called Melvin Phillips...
I think that if this had a better writer and director then the end product could have been so much better than this. It might even have made a decent television series; though I'm glad it didn't as it probably would have meant we would have missed Lynda Carter in the role that is so iconic to her. Though, as it stands it's not too bad and is okay for kids though with what's available today it looks and feels really dated, so they might baulk at watching it. This is worth a watch if you're looking at Wonder Woman throughout the ages, which I'm doing. Or, if you were a kid in the 70's and you want a little nostalgia. Apart from that, I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone.
I like Warner's and McEveety's decision to use Crosby since she was a major athlete at the time she could easily cope with the action scenes... which reduced the need to bring in a stuntman in a wig. She's also a pretty decent actor and fit this version of the character well. It would have been nice to have the fight scenes choreographed a little better and speeded up a tad, a few special effects wouldn't have gone amiss to show her strength, as was the case with the later series.
As for the other actors, there wasn't anything too spectacular about them. Even though I do like Montalban a lot, he is very underused here. In fact, I think that can be said of most, though, Andrew Prime does have a bit more power behind his performance. This could all be down to McEveety's direction, who doesn't give us anything particularly new here,
Though Black sticks to the origin pretty well, things start to get messy once we're off Themyscara. We see Diana Prince working as a Secretary for Steve Trevor, though secretly she's the one they send in to get the job done. So she's undercover in her own business. What I found really great and funny was the fact that Everybody else appeared to know Diana Prince was Wonder Woman; this says a lot for her company - the only spies who didn't know her secret. Even with this unintentional humour, Black does add some intentional humour to the story by incorporating a burro to bring the top secret plans to Abner Smith. This is one well- trained Ass... The other thing wrong with the script is the villains' names. I, for one, do not find either Abner Smith or George Calvin particularly frightening or awe inspiring. Calvin is a psychotic and cold blooded killer so it would have been nice for him to be given a more fearsome name or nick-name. This is based on a comic after all and in the 70's they were filled with evil doers with weird pseudonyms. The Joker wouldn't have been the same if he was called Melvin Phillips...
I think that if this had a better writer and director then the end product could have been so much better than this. It might even have made a decent television series; though I'm glad it didn't as it probably would have meant we would have missed Lynda Carter in the role that is so iconic to her. Though, as it stands it's not too bad and is okay for kids though with what's available today it looks and feels really dated, so they might baulk at watching it. This is worth a watch if you're looking at Wonder Woman throughout the ages, which I'm doing. Or, if you were a kid in the 70's and you want a little nostalgia. Apart from that, I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone.
Decent for a 1970s TV movie
TVholic30 March 2014
When this first aired, I didn't like it. It wasn't the Wonder Woman I had seen in the comics. Not even close. A few more viewings over the years didn't change that opinion. But now, after a long break and forty years after its premiere, I can be a bit more objective and less hard-nosed. It really wasn't as bad as I used to think.
A lot of people preferred the Lynda Carter version, but seriously, aside from being somewhat more faithful to the comic, it wasn't that much better. That was just as campy, if not more. Nor was it completely faithful. The familiar twirling costume change was unique to that show, just a shortcut to avoid showing the character having to find a place to change or stash her clothes and costume. Early episodes didn't even have the "explosion," just a fade between wardrobe. And seriously, how many times can one watch Six Million Dollar Man-style leaps, which were also not from the comic? This Wonder Woman seemed to use her wits to get out of jams more than the better-known one did.
I did get a little bored with the constant parade of perils in this movie. Seems she was under attack every ten minutes. Just in time for a commercial break, of course. These Amazons were also annoying. Every time they spoke to each other, they were spouting stilted fortune cookie platitudes rather than sounding like actual dialog.
Ricardo Montalban as Abner Smith was probably the best part of the movie. Suave, classy, charismatic, charming and quite possibly the most honorable, least violent villain in TV history. Definitely not the clichéd murderous adversary trying to kill the hero by whatever means necessary. He never even lost his temper and yelled at his henchmen no matter how many times they disobeyed orders or failed. This was a proto-Roarke, a wise, imaginative, level-headed boss who was intelligent and anticipated almost every contingency. (The white suit didn't hurt, either, although even Mr. Roarke sometimes displayed a darker side not seen here.) And he never lost his composure even in the face of defeat and incarceration. He would have been splendid as her arch-enemy had this series been ordered, that rarest of animals, the likable villain that one could almost root for. Not to be confused with anti-heroes who were flawed but had good intentions. This was a selfish person who maintained his dignity, civility, principles and manners even toward his foes.
A lot of people preferred the Lynda Carter version, but seriously, aside from being somewhat more faithful to the comic, it wasn't that much better. That was just as campy, if not more. Nor was it completely faithful. The familiar twirling costume change was unique to that show, just a shortcut to avoid showing the character having to find a place to change or stash her clothes and costume. Early episodes didn't even have the "explosion," just a fade between wardrobe. And seriously, how many times can one watch Six Million Dollar Man-style leaps, which were also not from the comic? This Wonder Woman seemed to use her wits to get out of jams more than the better-known one did.
I did get a little bored with the constant parade of perils in this movie. Seems she was under attack every ten minutes. Just in time for a commercial break, of course. These Amazons were also annoying. Every time they spoke to each other, they were spouting stilted fortune cookie platitudes rather than sounding like actual dialog.
Ricardo Montalban as Abner Smith was probably the best part of the movie. Suave, classy, charismatic, charming and quite possibly the most honorable, least violent villain in TV history. Definitely not the clichéd murderous adversary trying to kill the hero by whatever means necessary. He never even lost his temper and yelled at his henchmen no matter how many times they disobeyed orders or failed. This was a proto-Roarke, a wise, imaginative, level-headed boss who was intelligent and anticipated almost every contingency. (The white suit didn't hurt, either, although even Mr. Roarke sometimes displayed a darker side not seen here.) And he never lost his composure even in the face of defeat and incarceration. He would have been splendid as her arch-enemy had this series been ordered, that rarest of animals, the likable villain that one could almost root for. Not to be confused with anti-heroes who were flawed but had good intentions. This was a selfish person who maintained his dignity, civility, principles and manners even toward his foes.
I Really Liked Crosby,,,
IMDbigONE13 September 2005
I saw this movie when I was a kid and was very disappointed that Cathy Lee Crosby looked nothing like Diana Prince, not even the costume! But I did like her portrayal of the Amazon Princess. She was strong, warm and really endearing. And I really liked the rivalry storyline between Diana and her "corrupted" sister who was lured by the things she could get for herself now that she was away from Paradise Island. That was very interesting because it wasn't resolved, her sister denounced how she was raised and Diana kept firm to her own beliefs. They agreed to disagree and there was still a mutual sisterly respect in the end. A little bit of depth in an otherwise shallow attempt at a pilot with a charming lead actress.
A look back at a pilot for a Wonder Woman series that almost was...
jdlewisinc20 October 2020
This failed TV movie pilot is a pop-cultural oddity: An adaptation of Wonder Woman based partly on the brief five-year period of the comic when the character temporarily lost her super powers, as well as her classic costume and she was re-imagined as a non-super-powered, mod-dressing Emma Peel-esque adventurer. This pilot is also partly a precursor of the direction that the Lynda Carter series would eventually take in seasons two and three: Diana Prince being revamped into a James Bond-like ace operative of an UNCLE-esque top secret spy organization.
When this pilot TV movie was in pre-production development, Wonder Woman in the comic books was still in her "mod girl adventurer" phase at the time and the producers seemed unsure which direction to take with the character in the pilot, ("Classic" or "Mod"?) so they tried to split the difference and try to give us a little bit of both worlds! For the purposes of this patchwork pilot, the producers transformed & transitioned Wonder Woman from being a "Girl Adventurer" to being a "Spy Girl". A blonde-haired (!) Cathy Lee Crosby tries her level best to make this awkward composite characterization of Diana Prince seem almost plausible. (The problem is with the script, not with the actress!) She even has a couple of witty Bond-esque exchanges; one where she coolly rebuffs the smarmy sexual flirtations of the villain's chief henchman (a wonderfully oily Andrew Prine) and one where she playfully mentions in passing her invisible plane to the main villain (a masterfully silky-smooth Ricardo Montalbán) in a flirty exchange!
Instead of either her traditional classic costume or one of her mod new outfits from the current-at-the-time comic books, the producers once again decided to "split the difference" by outfitting Crosby in a re-imagined costume that looks more like a mod track suit, than a superhero costume. It's functional, plausible, and mundane. It doesn't look awful, just dull. Just imagine if Superman instead of wearing his classic costume, was wearing a blue & red sweat suit with a small red "S" shield on the side of the chest and you'll get the general idea!
In another odd & awkward blending of the "classic" and "mod" directions, there is a new character, Diana's feisty sister, Ahnjayla, (played by Anitra Ford) who seems to be loosely based upon Diana's feisty sister from the comic books, Nubia, who was then-recently introduced into the comic's continuity when Wonder Woman was re-revamped back into her classic costumed super-powered super-heroine persona in the comic books once more. The pilot tries it's best to blend both the classical and modern directions, but never entirely succeeding with either direction. The pilot producers should have chosen either one direction or the other, instead of hedging their bets and trying to blend both, ending-up in giving us neither! One year later, ABC & Warner Brothers tried again with a second Wonder Woman pilot, this time starring a super-powered & a much more traditionally-costumed Lynda Carter. This new "back-to-basics" pilot was a hit and the Lynda Carter series ran for three successful seasons.
So, perhaps this failed pilot's longest lasting legacy is the "Spy Girl" motif: When ABC later cancelled Wonder Woman after it's first season for being a far-too expensive World War Two era period piece, CBS picked-up the show for seasons two and three, with the proviso that the timeline of the show be moved-up to modern day, to keep costs down and so, Diana was re-imagined as an ace secret agent, once again! This cost-effective secret agent makeover saved the series, so at least that aspect of this failed pilot was proven to be right in retrospect. Just put Cathy Lee Crosby in a traditional Wonder Woman costume and a brunette wig, (Or simply re-cast Crosby with Lynda Carter!) and you would have a typical Wonder Woman episode from seasons two and three of the Lynda Carter series!
While this is not vintage classic Wonder Woman by a long shot, it is an interesting time capsule of Wonder Woman in a flux state of transition and of a long-forgotten failed pilot, valiantly trying and ultimately failing to capture the best of both worlds of Wonder Woman.
When this pilot TV movie was in pre-production development, Wonder Woman in the comic books was still in her "mod girl adventurer" phase at the time and the producers seemed unsure which direction to take with the character in the pilot, ("Classic" or "Mod"?) so they tried to split the difference and try to give us a little bit of both worlds! For the purposes of this patchwork pilot, the producers transformed & transitioned Wonder Woman from being a "Girl Adventurer" to being a "Spy Girl". A blonde-haired (!) Cathy Lee Crosby tries her level best to make this awkward composite characterization of Diana Prince seem almost plausible. (The problem is with the script, not with the actress!) She even has a couple of witty Bond-esque exchanges; one where she coolly rebuffs the smarmy sexual flirtations of the villain's chief henchman (a wonderfully oily Andrew Prine) and one where she playfully mentions in passing her invisible plane to the main villain (a masterfully silky-smooth Ricardo Montalbán) in a flirty exchange!
Instead of either her traditional classic costume or one of her mod new outfits from the current-at-the-time comic books, the producers once again decided to "split the difference" by outfitting Crosby in a re-imagined costume that looks more like a mod track suit, than a superhero costume. It's functional, plausible, and mundane. It doesn't look awful, just dull. Just imagine if Superman instead of wearing his classic costume, was wearing a blue & red sweat suit with a small red "S" shield on the side of the chest and you'll get the general idea!
In another odd & awkward blending of the "classic" and "mod" directions, there is a new character, Diana's feisty sister, Ahnjayla, (played by Anitra Ford) who seems to be loosely based upon Diana's feisty sister from the comic books, Nubia, who was then-recently introduced into the comic's continuity when Wonder Woman was re-revamped back into her classic costumed super-powered super-heroine persona in the comic books once more. The pilot tries it's best to blend both the classical and modern directions, but never entirely succeeding with either direction. The pilot producers should have chosen either one direction or the other, instead of hedging their bets and trying to blend both, ending-up in giving us neither! One year later, ABC & Warner Brothers tried again with a second Wonder Woman pilot, this time starring a super-powered & a much more traditionally-costumed Lynda Carter. This new "back-to-basics" pilot was a hit and the Lynda Carter series ran for three successful seasons.
So, perhaps this failed pilot's longest lasting legacy is the "Spy Girl" motif: When ABC later cancelled Wonder Woman after it's first season for being a far-too expensive World War Two era period piece, CBS picked-up the show for seasons two and three, with the proviso that the timeline of the show be moved-up to modern day, to keep costs down and so, Diana was re-imagined as an ace secret agent, once again! This cost-effective secret agent makeover saved the series, so at least that aspect of this failed pilot was proven to be right in retrospect. Just put Cathy Lee Crosby in a traditional Wonder Woman costume and a brunette wig, (Or simply re-cast Crosby with Lynda Carter!) and you would have a typical Wonder Woman episode from seasons two and three of the Lynda Carter series!
While this is not vintage classic Wonder Woman by a long shot, it is an interesting time capsule of Wonder Woman in a flux state of transition and of a long-forgotten failed pilot, valiantly trying and ultimately failing to capture the best of both worlds of Wonder Woman.
Eh!
grendelkhan27 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I remember watching this on prime time when I was about 7 years old. I was a huge comic book reader at the time, and anything relating to superheroes was anticipated heavily. The end result, however, was underwhelming.
I was aware of the "Emma Peel" Diana Prince stories, as they had only recently come to an end and Diana was returned to her Amazonian form. However, there was so little action that I was bored throughout most of the movie. The final costume was an interesting idea, but looked more like a cheerleader than a superhero.
I saw the movie again in my late teen years. It hadn't improved much. Cathy Lee Crosby was more familiar, thanks to That's Incredible, but her acting was no better. The script had a few good ideas, like the rogue Amazon, and a decent villain in Ricardo Montalban, but it just didn't come together and was still boring.
I think they should have built the back story better, and built the show into a more epic climax. It was too much like a bland spy film, crossed with a superhero story written by someone who had never seen a comic book. The Amazon elements were intriguing, but needed to be expanded.
The film did succeed in forcing producers to go back to the drawing board and come up with something more faithful, if a bit too camp and low budget. The budget was also pretty low here, and superheroes don't come cheap.
It would be nice to have the movie available on DVD, if only as a comparison and historical document. Even Superman 4 is available, and it has nothing over this film (except Chris Reeve and Gene Hackman). It's worth seeing for curiosity sake and for a bit of inspiration and caution for future versions.
I was aware of the "Emma Peel" Diana Prince stories, as they had only recently come to an end and Diana was returned to her Amazonian form. However, there was so little action that I was bored throughout most of the movie. The final costume was an interesting idea, but looked more like a cheerleader than a superhero.
I saw the movie again in my late teen years. It hadn't improved much. Cathy Lee Crosby was more familiar, thanks to That's Incredible, but her acting was no better. The script had a few good ideas, like the rogue Amazon, and a decent villain in Ricardo Montalban, but it just didn't come together and was still boring.
I think they should have built the back story better, and built the show into a more epic climax. It was too much like a bland spy film, crossed with a superhero story written by someone who had never seen a comic book. The Amazon elements were intriguing, but needed to be expanded.
The film did succeed in forcing producers to go back to the drawing board and come up with something more faithful, if a bit too camp and low budget. The budget was also pretty low here, and superheroes don't come cheap.
It would be nice to have the movie available on DVD, if only as a comparison and historical document. Even Superman 4 is available, and it has nothing over this film (except Chris Reeve and Gene Hackman). It's worth seeing for curiosity sake and for a bit of inspiration and caution for future versions.
comic book TV curiosity
SnoopyStyle8 April 2018
Diana Prince is sent into the world of men as Wonder Woman (Cathy Lee Crosby). In disguise, she becomes the assistant to government agent Steve Trevor who is battling evil super villain Abner Smith (Ricardo Montalban). Smith has his viscous minions, George and former Amazon Angela.
This is an early live-action superhero TV movie. After Superman and Batman, this is probably the most important early comic book character on live-action TV. Cathy would be later replaced by Lynda Carter in the TV show. In addition to the lead actress, other things have been changed again and again. The most obvious is the costume and the level of her power. I have no problem with her costume although the one on Lynda Carter is so much hotter. The level of power has varied over time in the comics. This one has her as super athlete but not really super human. Cathy Lee Crosby is closer to an athlete trying her hand at acting rather than a real actress. She has good looks but her acting lacks range. Her athleticism is useful in this show but she is generally stiff. She's functional as a presenter but she can't really emote. As for the plot and writing, it is a mess of broad comic book silliness. It doesn't have any realism but it doesn't have any fun in its outrageousness. There's a burro in a crate and a snake which is drawn to a saucer of milk for some reason. I'm not convinced at all that the burro is the best supervillain transport. It's all very lame and silly and cheesy. The cheesiness has some value if Cathy Lee Crosby can only project some sense of fun. When Montalban ends up paddling his rubber dingy, I couldn't take the overall cheesiness. It's good to move on to Lynda Carter who has longer lasting Wonder Woman legacy. This is a TV curiosity which WW fans may find some joy in and maybe worthwhile to check out.
This is an early live-action superhero TV movie. After Superman and Batman, this is probably the most important early comic book character on live-action TV. Cathy would be later replaced by Lynda Carter in the TV show. In addition to the lead actress, other things have been changed again and again. The most obvious is the costume and the level of her power. I have no problem with her costume although the one on Lynda Carter is so much hotter. The level of power has varied over time in the comics. This one has her as super athlete but not really super human. Cathy Lee Crosby is closer to an athlete trying her hand at acting rather than a real actress. She has good looks but her acting lacks range. Her athleticism is useful in this show but she is generally stiff. She's functional as a presenter but she can't really emote. As for the plot and writing, it is a mess of broad comic book silliness. It doesn't have any realism but it doesn't have any fun in its outrageousness. There's a burro in a crate and a snake which is drawn to a saucer of milk for some reason. I'm not convinced at all that the burro is the best supervillain transport. It's all very lame and silly and cheesy. The cheesiness has some value if Cathy Lee Crosby can only project some sense of fun. When Montalban ends up paddling his rubber dingy, I couldn't take the overall cheesiness. It's good to move on to Lynda Carter who has longer lasting Wonder Woman legacy. This is a TV curiosity which WW fans may find some joy in and maybe worthwhile to check out.
Correction
LarrupinLou12 May 2002
I've been reading posts here concerning Wonder Woman's costume for this TV movie. It should be pointed out at the time the movie was made, she wasn't wearing her traditional outfit. The producers were actually sticking to the comic book writer's conception of WW for the early seventies.
As for the movie itself, I have to agree with many of the other posters here. Snoozefest! I was a kid when it appeared on ABC in 1974, so I was at the right age to have appreciated a movie about a comic book hero. Yet I was so "engrossed" with the plot, I stopped watching it three quarters into the movie.
Of course, I wasn't at the right age to appreciate Cathy Lee! :-)
As for the movie itself, I have to agree with many of the other posters here. Snoozefest! I was a kid when it appeared on ABC in 1974, so I was at the right age to have appreciated a movie about a comic book hero. Yet I was so "engrossed" with the plot, I stopped watching it three quarters into the movie.
Of course, I wasn't at the right age to appreciate Cathy Lee! :-)
Pure 70s Bunk
aesgaard411 November 2000
I had always been a big Lynda Carter-Wonder Woman fan so when the Sci-Fi Channel ran this movie,I had to see it.I was bitterly disappointed.This is a Wonder Woman movie in name only.She doesn't wear the right costume [she must have refused to or had ordered major changes] and the plot runs like a poor man's James Bond.There's none of the things that made the comic book heroine a success i.e. the superhuman strength or determined will.It's just one long bad dream.I don't even think Cathy is all that attractive anyway.I wouldn't waste your time on this.
It's not THAT bad!
preppy-35 December 2012
An early attempt to "modernize" Wonder Woman for the 1970s. Everybody seems to think this was boring or campy. I saw it on TV when I was 12. While I admit it's not a great film it's not THAT bad!
Cathy Lee Crosby was totally miscast but she does the best she can. I loved how before each commercial there was a cliffhanger. Personally I was never bored and I loved the new uniform (the other one I always thought showed WAY too much skin). The movie was also (for its time) pretty violent. I remember being surprised when two characters were shot to death. It was off screen but still... Obviously this movie wasn't the big hit they expected so they went back to the original costume and hired Lynda Carter (who WAS Wonder Woman). So this didn't work but I have a soft spot for it.
Cathy Lee Crosby was totally miscast but she does the best she can. I loved how before each commercial there was a cliffhanger. Personally I was never bored and I loved the new uniform (the other one I always thought showed WAY too much skin). The movie was also (for its time) pretty violent. I remember being surprised when two characters were shot to death. It was off screen but still... Obviously this movie wasn't the big hit they expected so they went back to the original costume and hired Lynda Carter (who WAS Wonder Woman). So this didn't work but I have a soft spot for it.
An oddity but Lynda Carter is the real Wonder Woman
Joxerlives5 December 2010
Cathy Lee Crosby TV Movie-1974 Much like the original Kristy Swanson Buffy movie, Lucy Lawless' various roles in Hercules before she played Xena or Airwolf without Hawke and Dom this is pretty much a curiosity. It doesn't feel like real Wonder Woman, she lacks powers and all the accoutrement's we've come to expect from the character over the years. We have Steve Trevor but he's pretty forgettable and isn't given much to do. He's aware she's WW and aids her in her mission from afar. Ricardo Montalban is good as the villain (KHHHAAANNNNN!) and looks like he's getting ready for his role on fantasy island (wouldn't it be great if this was the role that got him the part?). Quite bloodthirsty, 2 characters are shot off screen and one man drowned. Cathy Lee Crosby is lovely but she doesn't really provide much cheesecake factor, her wardrobe really not helping at all. One interesting element is the existence of the evil amazon who challenges her, you'd have liked to have seen that in the later Lynda Carter series. Interestingly the character of Calvin asks to make love to WW, a sexual ref not featured in the later series. One of Steve's colleagues leers over her too in borderline Mad Men style office sexual harassment.We do see WW in costume ride a motorbike as Lynda Carter will later do. Really this is WW as a secret agent much like The Avengers (UK style, John Steed&co rather than Marvel) and The Girl from Uncle and not as a super heroine at all. It really doesn't work, it's WW written from a 70s feminist viewpoint and that just won't do, the genius of the character is that she is strong, intelligent and the match/better of any man whilst still retaining her ultra-feminine identity, she loves being a woman and doesn't try to act more masculine. It's interesting to compare this to Charlies Angels which had a similar premise but kept the glamour.
Really 2/10, you only watch this for completeness sake
Really 2/10, you only watch this for completeness sake
You're a Wonder, Wonder Woman
Mark-12923 February 2002
This compact 90 minute unsold pilot caused quite a stir when it premiered on ABC in 1974. Even then comic book fans bemoaned the new interpretation of the character. It's not really Wonder Woman but, a modernized and scrubbed down version of a short lived incarnation of her from then current issues of the Wonder Woman comic book. In this version, after a short origin sequence, Wonder Woman, as Diana Prince, secret government agent, under Steve Trevor, is given the job of recovering a set of code books in the hands of a blackmailer.
The movie is entertaining. It's structured like an old time movie serial, each act has a cliffhanger ending with some new threat to Diana, who only appears in "costume" near the end. Not the traditional uniform, but a rather mod looking red, white and blue outfit, with a hidden golden lasso.
Providing menace is ace henchman, George. As played by Andrew Prine, who appears to be having a lot of fun, George's wish to kill the Amazon Princess is matched only by his desire to make love to her. (Don't worry, it's not a deep as it sounds).
Abner Smith, portrayed by a very charming Ricardo Montalban is George's boss and a great foil for Cathy Lee Crosby, who is over her head in this role, but tries hard.
As a side note, try counting the number of times, someone uses a telephone during the film.
A new drinking game could come out of this film!
The movie is entertaining. It's structured like an old time movie serial, each act has a cliffhanger ending with some new threat to Diana, who only appears in "costume" near the end. Not the traditional uniform, but a rather mod looking red, white and blue outfit, with a hidden golden lasso.
Providing menace is ace henchman, George. As played by Andrew Prine, who appears to be having a lot of fun, George's wish to kill the Amazon Princess is matched only by his desire to make love to her. (Don't worry, it's not a deep as it sounds).
Abner Smith, portrayed by a very charming Ricardo Montalban is George's boss and a great foil for Cathy Lee Crosby, who is over her head in this role, but tries hard.
As a side note, try counting the number of times, someone uses a telephone during the film.
A new drinking game could come out of this film!
Not such a bad Wonder Woman
ashmored10 June 2018
I can remember watching this as a 12 year old and being quite exited by seeing Wonder Woman on TV. In fact, this was more like a spy thriller than a Super Heroine film. Cathy Lee's costume certainly was more modest than Lynda Carters. Also, Diana Prince seemed equally as strong as Wonder Woman, despatching the villains with ease, although Wonder Woman only just escaped when trapped in a room with slime dripping down the walls (never quite sure what that was supposed to do). There was added interest with Anitra Ford playing the role of an amazon 'gone bad'. I always thought it might have added a bit to the film when the two fought toward the end of the film if she had defeated Wonder Woman before handing the unconscious Wonder Woman over to the villain. Ricardo Montalban was possibly the most gracious villain of all time and looking back now, the film was a bit 'cheesy'.
Wow... really bad
culwin4 February 2001
Ok, I gave this movie a 5 because it made me laugh (unintentionally)! The sight of Ricardo Montebaun in a white suit, rowing down a river in a tiny raft, is just hilarious! Unless you want to laugh AT the movie, however, it is best avoided. Sadly, even the Lynda Carter TV show was better.
LYNDA CARTER SHE AIN'T
Sargebri6 February 2003
When I first saw this film, I was like many others and wanted to see Wonder Woman in her traditional garb and as a brunette. What we got was Cathy Lee Crosby, in her pre-That's Incredible! days. She wasn't the super heroine I had heard about, what she was was a "Girl From Uncle" rip-off.
Also of note, this was made during the period when D.C. Comics, the publisher of the "Wonder Woman" comic book had taken away her powers and made her into a non-super powered woman with the explanation that all the amazons had left Paradise Island for another dimension to replenish their immortality, leaving Diana behind. Within a year, the Amazons returned to Earth and Diana had regained her powers.
Also of note, this was made during the period when D.C. Comics, the publisher of the "Wonder Woman" comic book had taken away her powers and made her into a non-super powered woman with the explanation that all the amazons had left Paradise Island for another dimension to replenish their immortality, leaving Diana behind. Within a year, the Amazons returned to Earth and Diana had regained her powers.
Hmmmmm...
psionchronicles2 May 2024
It was 1974. I was 7. It was a time of Kolchak and Steve Austin. So when they advertised on TV that Wonder Woman was coming to live action, I just had to be there. After all, the only comic book superheroes I'd seen in live action up to that point were Batman and Robin (the George Reeves "Superman" reruns had never showed in my area). I guess in a way that a 7-year-old boy COULD be, I was ga-ga over Cathy Lee Crosby briefly, even if I got bored and didn't watch half of this movie (I came back at the end just in time to see her in-costume). Even at that age it was immediately evident that this had little to do with the comic character, but hey, maybe I could hope for them to put other superheroes on TV. In retrospect, I wish they hadn't, because the treatments they gave Captain America, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and the Hulk weren't much of an improvement on this.
I decided to give this another look today, and... yeah. This had some of the most terrible dialogue I've ever watched, even by old comic book standards. The story writing as a whole is full of gaffes that other reviewers have talked about, so I won't bother here. The fight sequences had to have straight-up embarrassed the Women's Libbers of the time; I mean, c'mon, this was the era of Bruce Lee and they couldn't do at least a little better than THIS? As near as I can tell, this was designed to keep the men out there focused on the actresses as long as possible in a desperate hope for ratings.
Not the worst film I've ever seen, but still a hard pass.
I decided to give this another look today, and... yeah. This had some of the most terrible dialogue I've ever watched, even by old comic book standards. The story writing as a whole is full of gaffes that other reviewers have talked about, so I won't bother here. The fight sequences had to have straight-up embarrassed the Women's Libbers of the time; I mean, c'mon, this was the era of Bruce Lee and they couldn't do at least a little better than THIS? As near as I can tell, this was designed to keep the men out there focused on the actresses as long as possible in a desperate hope for ratings.
Not the worst film I've ever seen, but still a hard pass.
This is a concept movie you guys!
juniusoliver26 February 2006
This is first of all a made for TV movie and therefore it follows the idea of creative license. This movie is not meant to represent the past Wonder Woman but rather and updated version of the super-heroine. In the 70's Wonder Woman was reduced to being a normal human being, no divine inspiration there. IT's really unsettling to see that men still have problems with powerful women, however that was the concept of the 70's super-spy Wonder Woman. There were certain elements that remained, the invisible plane (cleverly it was never show like the TV series), the Amazonian hertiage was still there, and the golden belt and lasso. Wonder Woman has always been thought to be an above average woman and in this movie she is certainly that. Howver she does not the super powers that make her a hero. At the end of the day you have to summarize this movie as version of Wonder Woman, that deserves respect as much as the original concept of the character. Remember Wonder Woman stands for truth, sensitivity and compassion, regardless of her powers.
Wonder Woman
riverheadestelle27 March 2005
I don't know....maybe there is something wrong with me, but I actually loved this flick the first time I saw it. Yes, it was ABC's first treatment of the comic book heroine, even though it had little or no resemblance to the original character. Still, I considered it a down-to-earth interpretation which offered the same level of excitement, and, perhaps, more accessible for those adults who - (horrors!) - didn't care for comic books as children.
Taking a comic book hero to live action television or film can be very tricky. You somehow have to strike the right balance between the fantastic and reality - which is why I loved this feature.
Not many women would look good in the original Wonder Woman costume from the comic book! (Like myself and my bulges, for example..) It's safe to say, however, that more women would be more comfortable in the outfit worn by Cathy Lee Crosby. Her version of 'Wonder Woman' gives us a character who is more like an efficient secretary who also doubles as an agent with special skills and weapons at her disposal. In this movie, 'Wonder Woman' is blonde, but that's no problem for me either.
It could be that this treatment allows the more practical-minded among us to dream and fantasize. Who hasn't dreamed of leading the life of a 'James Bond' or 'Diana Rigg'-type of character? That's the appeal of this ABC movie. Anybody who grew up watching stuff like 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.', 'The Avengers', 'The Saint' or similar shows would enjoy this flick, even if they weren't big on 'Wonder Woman' as a kid! It's simply great adventure for most except the die-hard purists, I guess.
And I don't mind saying that around the time this movie came out, I dreamed of finding a similar outfit to wear! I had to be about 13 years old!
Taking a comic book hero to live action television or film can be very tricky. You somehow have to strike the right balance between the fantastic and reality - which is why I loved this feature.
Not many women would look good in the original Wonder Woman costume from the comic book! (Like myself and my bulges, for example..) It's safe to say, however, that more women would be more comfortable in the outfit worn by Cathy Lee Crosby. Her version of 'Wonder Woman' gives us a character who is more like an efficient secretary who also doubles as an agent with special skills and weapons at her disposal. In this movie, 'Wonder Woman' is blonde, but that's no problem for me either.
It could be that this treatment allows the more practical-minded among us to dream and fantasize. Who hasn't dreamed of leading the life of a 'James Bond' or 'Diana Rigg'-type of character? That's the appeal of this ABC movie. Anybody who grew up watching stuff like 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.', 'The Avengers', 'The Saint' or similar shows would enjoy this flick, even if they weren't big on 'Wonder Woman' as a kid! It's simply great adventure for most except the die-hard purists, I guess.
And I don't mind saying that around the time this movie came out, I dreamed of finding a similar outfit to wear! I had to be about 13 years old!
Wondrous, Incredibly Edible Seventies Cheese
secragt6 May 2003
Here's an alpha female time capsule oddity which demonstrates how far femme-centric shows like ALIAS, BUFFY and XENA have come in the intervening thirty years. I was nine when this aired in '74 and recall being aware even then that this was pretty thin, though it had considerable appeal in the strangely droll relationship between charismatic quasi-badguy Ricardo Montalban and mannequinesque Cathy Lee Crosby. Montalban breathes suaveness and chivalry into what should have been a really clichéd and lame villain. As much as Cathy Lee founders in her debut, she has surprising chemistry with Ricardo and their scenes together crackle. If you watch it, be prepared for some unintentional laughter and not much action but whenever Ricardo shows up, things improve.
The last ten minutes are very good fun, though, and given this was the fledgling attempt to get a strong female action adventure star on the air in the 70s, it earns some points for helping pave the way for The Bionic Woman and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman which soon followed. Less a well-written, directed or thought out product than a fascinating glimpse into the early-mid seventies groovy escapist approach and certainly worth a look for fans of the genre. Still, don't expect much chop-socky or action; Cathy Lee is unconvincing in her few physical engagements (and her skin tight jumpsuit is so unrevealing it is about as sexy as a diet cola (the swingin' seventies censors rein things in unfortunately.) Somehow I still find it amusing, to a degree. 5/10
The last ten minutes are very good fun, though, and given this was the fledgling attempt to get a strong female action adventure star on the air in the 70s, it earns some points for helping pave the way for The Bionic Woman and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman which soon followed. Less a well-written, directed or thought out product than a fascinating glimpse into the early-mid seventies groovy escapist approach and certainly worth a look for fans of the genre. Still, don't expect much chop-socky or action; Cathy Lee is unconvincing in her few physical engagements (and her skin tight jumpsuit is so unrevealing it is about as sexy as a diet cola (the swingin' seventies censors rein things in unfortunately.) Somehow I still find it amusing, to a degree. 5/10
I "Wonder?"where she is...
AppleAsylum4 December 2002
I actually sat through this movie waiting for the real WONDER WOMAN to pop out at any second. She never did?!! At first, I hated this horrible-not-even-close version... But about 3 years later I read how they were trying to market towards the working women's lib instead of the "superhero" fanatics. So, I pondered on that for a while thinking that yes, it was & sometimes still is a male dominated world. On that note, I sat through the movie again... but, again, it wasn't good. It didn't suck! But it's not the Wonder Woman we all know, love, & at one time or another pretended to be. Or pretended to be Superman with Wonder Woman. If I sat through a film called "The Wonder's of a Woman" then I may have given the film a chance...But thats not what it is. This is Diana Price who is from Paradise Island. She is smarter, she is keen, & she is a knockout. But where is the leaps, the strength, the spinning around letting your hair fall gracefully down her back & then changing to the stunning costume (& always hoping she would wear the cape or the swimsuit!) Nope, not in this movie! She changes at the hotel! Sorry, don't think so!(4) Z.
I didn't even know this movie existed
willandcharlenebrown18 October 2020
AAhhhhh Childhood memories
hepnershadow3 May 2008
I caught this on TBS a while ago and recorded it. Every once in a while, I dust off the VHS and watch it on a lazy day. Sure, a lot of people will be turned off by this interpretation or different perspective. However, I enjoy watching it because it reminds me of simpler times (I hate being a grown-up), which is why I gave it a 10. I don't watch it for any aesthetic value just a small reminder of my childhood.
Sure, the plot could have been better, but I like how this WW used more brain than brawn. I thought the different kind of bracelets were representative of the 70s and all her WW outfits were either red, white, or blue, or a combination. Also that blonds seemed to be a theme because Trevor was also.
During the amazon sister fight, it looked like Cathy Lee almost got the top of her head whacked from Anitra's javelin. I love the simple explanation of the burro. It's funny how the simplest things can be overlooked, even by the smartest of people. The real only show of her strength is when she pulled herself up over the glass wall.
Yes, it was campy and cheesy, but what about the Lynda Carter version? Especially when she would spin around and "poof" a wet suit and fins, or "poof" motorcycle riding gear, or "poof" horseback riding pants. I never saw anything like that in the comic. Yes, I have the complete series...LOLLLLLLL!
Sure, the plot could have been better, but I like how this WW used more brain than brawn. I thought the different kind of bracelets were representative of the 70s and all her WW outfits were either red, white, or blue, or a combination. Also that blonds seemed to be a theme because Trevor was also.
During the amazon sister fight, it looked like Cathy Lee almost got the top of her head whacked from Anitra's javelin. I love the simple explanation of the burro. It's funny how the simplest things can be overlooked, even by the smartest of people. The real only show of her strength is when she pulled herself up over the glass wall.
Yes, it was campy and cheesy, but what about the Lynda Carter version? Especially when she would spin around and "poof" a wet suit and fins, or "poof" motorcycle riding gear, or "poof" horseback riding pants. I never saw anything like that in the comic. Yes, I have the complete series...LOLLLLLLL!
It's not the one that the 70's fans remember, but that hardly matters.
mark.waltz23 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
You only get a little bit about the background of this brilliant Superwoman, complete with super brain, able to figure out how to get rid of a poisonous snake that slithers into her hotel room and wraps itself around her leg. But it's enough to be a great opening for this TV movie where Cathy Lee Crosby is sent on a special mission to the Big Apple, going up against announcing villain whose voice is so familiar that it's not really a surprise, and I'm sure the script writers and casting directors didn't expect the audience to be fooled.
There's plenty of action and comedy, and the result is a very campy and quick moving adventure where Crosby proves herself to be just as good as her inevitable successor, Lynda Carter. But this is an alternate universe Wonder Woman with a different universe and different tricks up her sleeve, and Crosby is definitely up to the task even when she's close to being up to her sleeve in muck. Kaz Garas, Charlene Holt, Andrew Prine and especially Ricardo Montalban seem to be having a blast in this film, reminiscent of 1940s serials. Carter lookalike Holt is equally a wonder woman here, although she's definitely the type where you wonder why she got so bad. Lots of fun and a definite crowd pleaser.
There's plenty of action and comedy, and the result is a very campy and quick moving adventure where Crosby proves herself to be just as good as her inevitable successor, Lynda Carter. But this is an alternate universe Wonder Woman with a different universe and different tricks up her sleeve, and Crosby is definitely up to the task even when she's close to being up to her sleeve in muck. Kaz Garas, Charlene Holt, Andrew Prine and especially Ricardo Montalban seem to be having a blast in this film, reminiscent of 1940s serials. Carter lookalike Holt is equally a wonder woman here, although she's definitely the type where you wonder why she got so bad. Lots of fun and a definite crowd pleaser.
Mr. Roarke's Evil Twin
domino100311 August 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Watching this not too long ago on The Sci Fi Channel, I laughed at this so hard that I had a severe headache for hours! I managed to tape it thank god and can enjoy this HUGE hunk of cheesiness from 70's tv. Cathy Lee Crosby (A 70's version of Kathy Lee Gifford) always bothered me as Wonder Woman, simply because her smiled drove me crazy, and her deliverance of the dialog was just HORRIBLE!!!!
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS HEADED YOUR WAY!!!***
The 2 saving graces? Ricardo Montalban as Abner and Andrew Prine as the REALLY sleazy and greedy George. Prine has the right idea when he keeps telling Abner to kill her. Isn't that what YOU would want to do whenever you hear her talk? Still, it's interesting to watch a weak fight between Wonder Woman and her renegade comrade from Paradise Island, Anjayla(Anitra Ford, an original "Bob Barker's Beauty from Price Is Right, no less).
Watch the film if you like cheese oozing from the tv screen.
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS HEADED YOUR WAY!!!***
The 2 saving graces? Ricardo Montalban as Abner and Andrew Prine as the REALLY sleazy and greedy George. Prine has the right idea when he keeps telling Abner to kill her. Isn't that what YOU would want to do whenever you hear her talk? Still, it's interesting to watch a weak fight between Wonder Woman and her renegade comrade from Paradise Island, Anjayla(Anitra Ford, an original "Bob Barker's Beauty from Price Is Right, no less).
Watch the film if you like cheese oozing from the tv screen.
Wonder Campfest!
tennavision6 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
"Great Hera!" as Wonder Woman herself would exclaim, this 1974 TV movie is a camped up campy fest , I had to check to make sure John Waters himself didn't direct this version !
I remember this so well from my childhood , this incarnation of Wonder Woman was completely different from the '76 version with Lynda Carter, DC comics had not given the films producers full permission to use WW , so the producers of this film took lots of liberties with the character, her tools of the trade & storyline. Crosby's WW costume more closely resembles David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Character than the Amazonian princess we know & love , very new wave glitter rock '74 style!
This bizarro camp fest is more in line with the WW of the late 60's when DC comics completely changed the storyline to make Diana Prince more of a female James Bond . the fun begins & things really get cooking when "The Price Is Right" uber model Anitra Ford co stars as Paradise Island Bad Girl "Ahn-jay-lah(think "Angela" with a snooty accent) who comes to this "man's world" to get her due. Fresh from her stint in "The Big Bird Cage" with Pam Grier ,Anitra Ford really lays on the bada** thick. Watch in amazement as her & Cathy Lee Crosby suddenly turn into male stunt doubles in drag during their fight scenes!! Anitras male stunt double is giving you major cottage cheese in his skin tight polyester pants & Woolworth's Brunette wig - a LAFF RIOT! Ricardo Montalban plays the villain "Abner" as his prototype for Mr. Roarke on "Fantasy Island" , the suave , debonair , ambivalent cucumber cool Casanova with a trick or 2 up his sleeve. Uh... my goodness, the acting, the script, the fight scenes , plus Artie Butler's wicked mini MOOG synthesizer keyboard soundtrack is the gold standard all 70's TV movie's must be measured against
A lot of people are disappointed with this version because it takes liberty with the storyline we all know & love & the fact its cheaply made, but if you are a fan of campy Queenius TV movies , this is right up your alley. Watch it tonite with a group of friends & get ready to pause during the "stuntmen in drag" fight scenes! Truly a Wonder, Woman!
I remember this so well from my childhood , this incarnation of Wonder Woman was completely different from the '76 version with Lynda Carter, DC comics had not given the films producers full permission to use WW , so the producers of this film took lots of liberties with the character, her tools of the trade & storyline. Crosby's WW costume more closely resembles David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Character than the Amazonian princess we know & love , very new wave glitter rock '74 style!
This bizarro camp fest is more in line with the WW of the late 60's when DC comics completely changed the storyline to make Diana Prince more of a female James Bond . the fun begins & things really get cooking when "The Price Is Right" uber model Anitra Ford co stars as Paradise Island Bad Girl "Ahn-jay-lah(think "Angela" with a snooty accent) who comes to this "man's world" to get her due. Fresh from her stint in "The Big Bird Cage" with Pam Grier ,Anitra Ford really lays on the bada** thick. Watch in amazement as her & Cathy Lee Crosby suddenly turn into male stunt doubles in drag during their fight scenes!! Anitras male stunt double is giving you major cottage cheese in his skin tight polyester pants & Woolworth's Brunette wig - a LAFF RIOT! Ricardo Montalban plays the villain "Abner" as his prototype for Mr. Roarke on "Fantasy Island" , the suave , debonair , ambivalent cucumber cool Casanova with a trick or 2 up his sleeve. Uh... my goodness, the acting, the script, the fight scenes , plus Artie Butler's wicked mini MOOG synthesizer keyboard soundtrack is the gold standard all 70's TV movie's must be measured against
A lot of people are disappointed with this version because it takes liberty with the storyline we all know & love & the fact its cheaply made, but if you are a fan of campy Queenius TV movies , this is right up your alley. Watch it tonite with a group of friends & get ready to pause during the "stuntmen in drag" fight scenes! Truly a Wonder, Woman!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
