Last Woman on Earth (1960)

They fought for the Ultimate Prize! 

Evelyn, her husband Harold, and their friend Martin, are vacationing in Puerto Rico when an inconceivable event occurs. While they are scuba-diving, all the of the oxygen is somehow depleted from the atmosphere. They are saved only by the air tanks they were wearing while under water, but every one else on the island, and maybe even the planet, has perished.

The oxygen luckily returns; too late for most, but just in time for these three survivors. However, Harold and Martin soon begin to quarrel, and their living arrangement becomes strained.  They are on a dangerous road towards becoming engaged in a life or death struggle over Evelyn, the last woman on Earth.

The Last Woman on Earth follows a premise that has been used in many films since; something apocalyptic happens and we get to see how a small group of survivors make do afterwords. The only problem is that none of the characters in this movie are really all that captivating or interesting. Harold is a real ass hole, so its hard to root for him. Besides that, the whole premise is pretty stupid anyhow since its about two men fighting eventually to the death over a woman as if she is a prize to be won rather than a human being with a brain who can make the decision for herself. Plus you would hope that if there were three people left alive they would find a way not to end up killing each other off. You would hope.

The movie poster and DVD could lead one to believe that this movie is full of violence, sex, and nudity. Not the case. In fact this movie is pretty much kid safe. The violence is relegated more or less to the big fight at the end, and isn't particularly graphic. There's no actual sex or nudity shown. Instead this is a clever marketing tactic used to this day to sell movies with no real content or value with sex and violence.

Four years later The Last Man on Earth was produced, staring Vincent Price. This is actually the movie I had in mind when I picked this one up... but this isn't it. Perhaps that movie is more impressive, it wouldn't take a lot.

1.5 drawn out battles to the death out of 5

Not rated: Contains mild violence.

Watch the Last Woman on Earth trailer.