Carol Doda Topless at the Condor (2024)

3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Miss Twin Peaks

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

For anyone living outside San Francisco, Carol Doda may need an introduction. In 1964, the same year that the Republican National Convention was held in San Francisco (!), Carol Doda appeared onstage at the Condor Club on Broadway, wearing a "monokini," a high-fashion garment that left her breasts exposed. It was a sensation. Soon she was riding down to the stage on top of a white piano every night. Doda became a star, especially after getting a series of silicone injections that increased her breast size to 44 Double-D. (She was even involved with Frank Sinatra.) When Doda tried to go one further by going bottomless, she caused a scandal, which led to arrests and a trial. As she grew older and dancing was no longer an option, she branched out into many different arenas, all in an attempt to make a living. Being a celebrity at the Condor didn't exactly make her wealthy.

It's a great rise-and-fall story, and filmmakers Jonathan Parker (Bartleby, [Untitled]) and Marlo McKenzie tell it in a most fascinating way, using archival footage, photos, and interviews with the people who knew and worked with Doda. But it's balanced in a thoughtful and nuanced manner, finding the gray areas between arguments. One such question of how much power and freedom did topless dancers actually have, and how much were they exploited? Another involves the fine line between what's considered acceptable and what's considered obscene. Either way, Doda became much more than an icon; she became a revolutionary, demonstrating the power of women in a new and startling way. Perhaps the greatest achievement of Carol Doda Topless at the Condor, however, is the revelation that Doda was not very forthcoming about her personal life, and yet the film effectively and emotionally captures her spirit.