The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Shannon Tweed is Velvet McKenzie, a New Orleans prostitute craving a new start in life out West.

Deanna Brooks is Sarah Foster, a young woman fleeing an arranged marriage and eager to explore city life in San Francisco.

And Julie Strain is Mick, the most blood-thirsty member of the Billy Poke gang.

Now Billy might look pretty and he might be good in bed, but he certainly isn’t vicious. Or very smart.

All their paths cross when Velvet rods the bordello where she works and makes off with a satchel full of cash, heading West disguised as a nun.

Sarah wouldn’t mind having that satchel of cash to finance her new life in San Francisco.

And since their business is robbing folks, Billy, Mick and his gang want the satchell of cash too.

Meanwhile, new sheriff Joe Pepper (Richie Varga) wants to find the man responsible for the death of former sheriff Sam Pepper.

Sam was his brother and died partly because of Joe’s addiction to the fairer sex.

Shannon Tweed as Velvet McKenzie, ready to fight for her satchel of cash in The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Richie Varga as Joe Pepper, a lawman getting an eyeful of trouble in The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Review:

Welcome to Sweetwater, Texas, and the Wild West the way cowpokes wish it was — where all the gals look like they jumped off the cover of Playboy and nights around the campfire can get mighty steamy at the drop of a hat.

The catchy theme song and the silent-movie style screen cards scream: Do not take this too seriously.

And as long as you keep that mindset and don’t mind a healthy dose of gratuitous nudity and some rather tame sex scenes, this film will make you smile a few times.

And I didn’t mean because of that.

For those unfamiliar, Shannon Tweed was Playmate of the Year in 1982, started a long-term relationship with Gene Simmons of Kiss the next year and wound up appearing in several films of this ilk. She and Simmons married and have two children together.

Deanna Brooks as Sarah Foster, ready to charm her way to San Francisco in The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Todd Eckert as Sam Pepper, a sheriff searching for a stray damsel in The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Directed by:
Steven Nevius

Cast:
Shannon Tweed … Velvet McKenzie
Julie Strain … Mick
Deanna Brooks … Sarah Foster
Richie Varga … Joe Pepper
Daniel Murray … Billy Poke
Todd Eckert … Sam Pepper
Rick Williams … Cole
Mike Stole … Amanda
David D.B. Wilson … Henry Beaudine
Sita Thompson … Mrs. Wheeler
Gonzalo Menendez … Esteban
Michael Kaliski … Liam
Eduardo Terry … J.D.

Runtime: 88 min.

Julie Strain as Mick, the killer among the BIlly Poke gang in The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Daniel Murray as Billy Poke, the amorous outlaw who ain’t like the rest in The Rowdy Girls (2020)

Memorable lines:

Sam Pepper: “I swear Joe, you’re gonna get one of us killed if you don’t learn to keep them britches up.”

Billy Poke: “You pokin’ fun at me.”
Mick: “I wouldn’t do that. You’re Billy Poke.”

Sarah, having been smacked by Velvet wearing her nun’s disguise: “Nuns aren’t supposed to hit people.”
Velvet: “This one does.”

Eduardo Terry as J.D., a member of the Billy Poke gang in The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Michael Kaliski as Liam, a member of the Billy Poke gang in The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Shannon Tweed as Velvet McKenzie, catching someone snooping on her bath in The Rowdy Girls (2000)

Shannon Tweed as Velvet McKenzie, tired of a nun’s disguised in The Rowdy Girls (2000)