|
 SCANDAL
(Anchor
Bay) DVD. 1989. Drama. 114 minutes. NR, nudity.
Set in Great Britain 1963, the wealthy, and rather perverse, Dr.
Ward (John Hurt) meets two teenaged showgirls and introduces them to the
lovely world of escorting. The two young and naive escorts, Christine
(Joanne Whalley) and Mandy (Bridget Fonda), soon learn how to use their
good looks to manipulate the men they see and get what they want, and
need. As Christine really starts to excel in her new profession, she
begins a heavily
sexual affair with Britain’s Cabinet Minister John Profumo (Ian McKellen)
and Russian spy Eugene Ivcanov. As you can imagine, all good things must
end and all this sexual gallivanting kicks off a court trial that ruins
many lives and turns the British government upside down.
Scandal is based on the Great Britain’s
true sex scandal story referred to as the “Profumo Affair.” This DVD
is the uncut and uncensored version, but I really do not understand what
needed to be censored or cut.. There is some nudity, most
notably the ugly hairy ass belonging to an old man that was
unceremoniously plopped in front of my face. This baby was so up close and
personal, I swear I could smell something. Umm, maybe that was me, not
sure over here. Anyway, there’s nothing all that sexually shocking to be
seen. Whalley and Fonda do a perfect job depicting the fine art of
manipulation and would have a field day with that fat bastard Bill
Clinton. Bridget Fonda does get briefly naked for us and further proves my
theory that she has no butt crack what so ever (Quentin Tarantino’s
Jackie Brown also proves my theory correct). John Hurt does a masterful
job of portraying Dr. Stephan Ward. Hurt comes across as totally likable,
but in an almost sad, sleazy way. Keep your eyes open for Roland Gift, the
former lead singer for Fine Young Cannibals, as one of Christine’s one
night stands. DVD special features include, theatrical trailer, widescreen
1.85:1 aspect ratio enhanced for 16x9 TVs, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. I
have no idea how closely this movie follows the actual events of the
“Profumo Affair,” but it must have caused quite an uproar. Although
rather slow moving and not nearly as controversial as publicized, Scandal
is a pretty good tale of a dirty little government sexcapade. – Denis
Sheehan
|
