Scandal (1989)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Michael Caton-Jones

Writer:

Michael Thomas (written by)

Release Date:

28 April 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

The Story That Seduced The World Is Now The Most Controversial Film Of The Year.

Plot:

An English bon-vivant osteopath is enchanted with a young exotic dancer and invites her to live with him...

Plot Keywords:

Scandal | Osteopath | Profumo Scandal | Historical | Suicide

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

John Hurt	...	Stephen Ward
Joanne Whalley	...	Christine Keeler (as Joanne Whalley-Kilmer)
Bridget Fonda	...	Mandy Rice-Davies
Ian McKellen	...	John Profumo
Leslie Phillips	...	Lord Astor (Bill)
Britt Ekland	...	Mariella Novotny
Daniel Massey	...	Mervyn Griffith-Jones
Roland Gift	...	Johnnie Edgecombe
Jean Alexander	...	Mrs. Keeler
Alex Norton	...	Detective Inspector
Ronald Fraser	...	Justice Marshall
Paul Brooke	...	John, Detective Sgt.
Jeroen Krabbé	...	Eugene Ivanov (as Jeroen Krabbe)
Keith Allen	...	Kevin, Reporter Sunday Pictorial
Ralph Brown	...	Paul Mann

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, and for language.

Runtime:

115 min | USA:106 min | Canada:111 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | UK:18

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

British Screen Productions

Trivia:

Many UK actors are said to have refused roles in this movie because of the subject could cost them knighthoods and the other honors.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Christine arrives back at Heathrow from Spain after the scandal breaks, there's a modern illuminated sign in the background as she walks from the gate.

Quotes:

John Profumo: I have nothing to hide.
Stephen Ward: Come off it John, we all have something to hide, what a boring life it would be if we didn't.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Empire of the Censors (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Nothing Has Been Proved

So this is what it was all about.

I remember the names of the people involved when I was a kid. I had no idea what the Profumo Affair was all about, so I was very interested in seeing the film. Names from my childhood kept cropping up: Christine Keeler, Stephen Ward, Lucky Gordon. I was able to see the whole thing played out before me. Most of what is shown is historically accurate. It is certainly true that the osteopath Stephen Ward was hounded to his death by the British establishment.

Of the performances John Hurt was excellent as Ward. Joanne Whalley Kilmer has been criticised for a two dimensional performance. I don't agree. She had decided to play the part of someone who is essentially shallow (however deep the real Christine Keeler might or might not be) and makes a fair fist of it. I thought that Roland Gift was OK as Johnny edgecombe - although at the time I thought he was supposed to be Lucky Gordon.I thought that Leslie Philips was going to be a disaster as Lord Astor, but he was excellent.

The problem of having lived through the period is that when it is portrayed on film, you can see all the mistakes in fashions and background. This film is no exception.

The music is quite apt - in one case (see below) spot on - and I thought that the truly appalling rendition of "She Wears Red Feathers" in the night club scene was very atmospheric.

Someone else pointed out the scene as the girls are dressing while The Shadows play "Apache." That scene stimulated me, too. If you can, watch this scene in a cinema. Watching stockings been drawn on on a big screen while Tony's bass drum, Cliff's Japanese drum, then Jet's bass come rolling out of those gigantic cinema speakers is an experience not to be missed - believe you me!