In the glamorous, glitzy, and gloriously gaudy world of 1950s and 1960s B-movies, there were three blonde bombshells who reigned supreme: Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, and Mamie Van Doren — affectionately dubbed “The Three M’s.” Each carved her own path through Hollywood’s golden (and not-so-golden) reels. Monroe pursued critical acclaim, Mansfield leaned into high camp and publicity stunts, and Mamie Van Doren? Well, Mamie dove headfirst into the wild, wonderful world of low-budget sci-fi, sex comedies, and monster flicks. She didn’t just lean into camp — she was camp before it had a name.
And nowhere is that more evident than in The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966), a bizarre little gem that’s part creature feature, part tropical disaster film, and 100% B-movie madness. The film may have been a disaster by most technical and critical standards, but it holds a unique charm — thanks in large part to Mamie’s unforgettable presence.
A Jungle Outpost, Man-Eating Trees, and One Very Glamorous Secretary
Directed by Michael A. Hoey, The Navy vs. the Night Monsters is exactly what it sounds like: a military base on a remote Pacific island comes under attack from mutated, acid-spewing, plant-based monsters that arrive via a mysterious cargo plane from Antarctica. Why Antarctica has tropical plants is a question the film never fully answers, but that’s hardly the point.
Van Doren stars as Nora Hall, the base secretary who finds herself surrounded by increasingly panicked naval personnel as the jungle literally starts to fight back. With rubbery tentacles flailing and screams echoing through the island, Nora keeps her cool — and her fashion sense — intact. Where others flee in khakis and sweat, she runs in pencil skirts and high heels, her platinum curls never out of place.
It’s a performance that elevates the film’s chaotic absurdity into something strangely watchable. Van Doren doesn’t just play the role — she owns it. With her sultry voice, unflappable expressions, and signature blend of flirtation and fearlessness, she turns what could have been a throwaway part into a memorable genre moment.
Mamie: The Atomic Blonde Who Defied the Mold
By the time The Navy vs. the Night Monsters rolled into theaters, Mamie Van Doren was already a seasoned star of sensational cinema. Born Joan Lucille Olander in 1931, she had been crowned Miss Palm Springs before being discovered by Howard Hughes — yes, that Howard Hughes. She adopted the stage name Mamie Van Doren in honor of First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, and Hollywood took notice.
Throughout the 1950s and early ’60s, Mamie played in everything from juvenile delinquent flicks (Untamed Youth) to rock ’n’ roll romps (Girls Town) to prison melodramas (High School Confidential). Her roles rarely asked for subtlety, but they gave her ample space to build a persona: sexy, rebellious, and unapologetically over-the-top.
In many ways, Mamie was ahead of her time. While critics dismissed her as a Monroe imitator, she cultivated a niche that was all her own. She didn’t aim for respectability; she aimed for attention, fun, and a loyal fanbase. Her characters were often smarter than they appeared, weaponizing their sexuality in a world that constantly underestimated them.
The Film That Became a Cult Curiosity
The Navy vs. the Night Monsters was intended to be a serious horror outing, but budget cuts, script changes, and effects limitations turned it into something else entirely — a fever dream of foam monsters, awkward dubbing, and unintentional hilarity. Director Michael Hoey once said he envisioned a suspenseful sci-fi thriller in the style of The Thing from Another World (1951). What he got was more Plan 9 from Outer Space meets Gilligan’s Island.
Still, that’s part of its charm. For fans of so-bad-it’s-good cinema, the movie is a treasure trove. The monsters — supposedly mobile trees with acidic sap — look more like disgruntled pool noodles. The dialogue veers between earnest and absurd. But Mamie Van Doren? She never falters. She delivers her lines with commitment, even when surrounded by wobbly props and flustered co-stars. It’s no small feat.
Legacy of a Camp Queen
Today, Mamie Van Doren may not be the household name that Marilyn Monroe became, but she is a revered figure in cult cinema circles. Her films, though often dismissed in their day, have found new audiences in the age of nostalgia, midnight screenings, and streaming rediscoveries.
Mamie herself embraced her image, becoming an icon of vintage glamour and defiant sensuality. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she’s remained active, publishing memoirs, attending fan conventions, and posting cheeky, self-aware photos on social media well into her 80s. She never let Hollywood define her; she defined herself — and that, more than any monster she outran, is what makes her a legend.
Final Verdict: Worth the Watch? Absolutely.
Is The Navy vs. the Night Monsters a “good” movie? That depends on your definition. Technically, it’s rough. Narratively, it’s confused. But as a piece of pop culture history — as a showcase for one of Hollywood’s most underappreciated icons — it’s a blast.
So pour yourself a vintage cocktail, dim the lights, and prepare to be mildly terrified and thoroughly entertained. And don’t forget to raise a toast to Mamie Van Doren, the high-heeled heroine of horror’s most vine-infested battlefield.