A documentary about the Madams, prostitutes and other “women of questionable virtue” who helped bring culture, beauty, and compassion to the gold rush era of San Francisco.

This award-winning documentary tells about the struggles, contributions, and triumphs of the Madams and courtesans who settled the dangerous Barbary Coast of San Francisco during the gold rush days…and about the women who tried to help them. Using rare archival photographs, location footage, and interviews with historians, writers, clergy, and sex educators, the documentary examines the women's many cultural and social contributions to the settlement of a violent, uncivilized West. Told through a series of poignant and touching stories, the film uncovers this forgotten yet important part of women's history, and how these women helped bring culture, passion, and a vestige of civilization to one of the most dangerous eras in America's past.

“We combed through thousands of gold rush images and newspapers, scoured the Western back roads and literally crawled through buried Chinatown basements to locate the last remaining archival sources. Ultimately, the end result was to bring to life the stories of these incredible women, their struggles and successes against all odds in the infamous Barbary Coast of San Francisco.” Director Michael Rohde