This fantastic 1987 film by Terry Jones is one of my absolute favorites. Starring UK national treasure Julie Walters (Educating Rita, Harry Potter, Billy Elliot) and Shirley Stelfox (Keeping Up Appearances) the film tells a titallating tale based on the wild life of Cynthia Payne - London's most notorious brothel owner who was arrested on morals charges and acquitted in 1987.
Julie Walters gives a wonderful layered performance as the working class, sexually repressed "Christine Painter" who has kept her sexuality under lock and key ever since she became a single-mother as a teenager.
After going into business with her fetish-savvy prostitute pal Shirley and the cardigan-knitting, cash-handler Dolly (who we discover is a transexual during a wedding reception) - Christine soon becomes well-versed in the world of kink. She also discovers just how profitable the BDSM sex trade can be with a clientele of horny, affluent British gents, and finds her independence and inner strength in the process.
Christine explains her brothel to a police captain this way:
"It's just like a Tupperware party, really. But I sell sex instead of plastic containers. If the wives were willing, I'd be out of a job, wouldn't I? But they go off sex - they'd rather sell Tupperware, ha-bloody-ha. Sex soon goes out of a marriage. I'm a bit old-fashioned, really - I believe in marriage. Men are animals, sexually. They don't talk a *bit* of sense till you've got them de-spunked. Women are more affectionate. They like a bit of affection. Though I've met a few horny buggers in my time. The wife wants a three-piece-suite. If she gave the man sex, he might be more inclined to come across with the three-piece-suite. It may not be a fashionable thing to say, but once you've got him de-spunked, and he's sitting there thinking he's all wonderful - done you a good turn, given you a pair of soggy knickers - in the afterglow of his glory he's more inclined to come across with the Draylon three-piece, don't you think? "
4 comments:
I love this movie, I can't tell you how many times I was out with a gang of like minded friends and told someone, "you have LOVELY legs! You must be a lesbian!" Despite the huumour the film really drives ome the price she pays for her independence in her personal life and really works just as well as a drama as a comedy.
oh yes- great dramatic moments too
the scene where she tells off her Dad who has never really "taken" to her illegitimate grandson is wonderful.
I love Julie Walters
I remember this from the video store--but don't think I've seen it (memory failure/aka:"CRAFT"!). Thanks for bringing it to our attention!
I need to watch this again - it's been years. Julie Walters has a great costarring role to Meryl in "Mamma Mia" if you haven't seen it (I was babysitting! And I liked it!)
Post a Comment