Hustler Squad/Comments

• When a group of special ops agents try to infiltrate a secret Japanese pleasure palace inside the Phillipines (and are mostly killed), the US Allied Forces need to figure out another way to get into the stronghold. They call on one of their most rebellious officers: Major "Stony" Stonewall (John Ericson) to come up with a plan. After some frustrated swearing and off color humor, Stony gets a really good idea. Instead of trying to send another group of guys to get killed, why not recruit some women to go undercover as prostitutes? Well, the upper brass let the plan go through and soon Stony is out searching for the right kind of women for the job with the help of his friend, a local man named Paco Rodriguez (Ramon Revilla). He gets what he needs in the form of a jailed nymphomaniac who needs a man and will do anything to get one, a Phillipino rape victim, a woman who doesnt have long to live and the estranged girlfriend of another officer. Hustler Squad is of course one of many rip offs of The Dirty Dozen (1967), but regardless of knowing that, I actually had a fun time with it. I'm a big fan of Filipino exploitation films and this one really isn't as bad as some claim it to be. John Ericson is actually pretty entertaining as the wise cracking officer Stony Stonewall and the gals in the film are colorful enough to bring some excitement and sexiness to the proceedings. This film was co-produced by Cirio Santiago. --Pete