Scandal (1989)

[thirdlady]

Scandal (1989)



the story of the profumo affair with John hurt and Joanne whalley kilmer and bridget fonda.



it's on film 4 tonight in the wee small hours at 3:50am.





this was the first ever 18 cert movie I'd seen



Does anyone know if it's out on dvd?

[DB7]

Is there anything 'adult' in it apart from Whalley's (rather splendid) bottom?



At the time the producers were scared of being sued for libel so it's quite sympathetic towards Keeler and Ward, and Profumo only gets one bonk iirc.



Wonder if Valerie Hobson watched it...

[Mr Cosmo]

As I had a vague memory of the Profumo affair I was very interested to see it when it came out and I still have the video although I note that there is at least one scene in the C4 version that is not on the video - featuring Leslie Phillips in his gentlemen's club saying that someone gesturing to him is "a cousin of mine".



I did enjoy the film but my one lasting memory is that awful wig that Ian McKellen wears. I have never seen anything so false. And talking of Leslie Phillips autobiography (as someone else has posted today in the James Robertson Justice thread) he indicates that even when McKellen walked on to the set people gasped and couldn't believe he was going to wear it.



Of course if the Profumo affair happened nowadays, the press would be camped on his doorstep, he would resign from the cabinet but come back in a few months time. Christine Keeler would sell her story to HEAT or some other mag and Steven Ward would be on CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER.

[Steve Crook]

Of course if the Profumo affair happened nowadays, the press would be camped on his doorstep, he would resign from the cabinet but come back in a few months time. Christine Keeler would sell her story to HEAT or some other mag and Steven Ward would be on CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER.

They were more innocent times - or rather everyone maintained the belief that they were more innocent times. Of course there was really just as much naughtiness going on back then as well but the newspapers were mainly involved in printing news - rather than gossip & scandal



Steve

[Merton Park]

Well they didn't do a bad job then making a banquet of it, innocent times or not! Excellent film, very well acted. John Hurt superb as always.

[Wolfgang]

Wasn't one of couples in its orgy scene supposed to be really fucking? I think I read that somewhere, and it often gets cited as one of those mainstream films with real sex. I always wondered if Valerie Hobson watched it too.

[Harleybloke]

Is there anything 'adult' in it apart from Whalley's (rather splendid) bottom?

At the time the producers were scared of being sued for libel so it's quite sympathetic towards Keeler and Ward, and Profumo only gets one bonk iirc.

Wonder if Valerie Hobson watched it...

I heard it was a 'Bottom' double.....?

[kelp]

What a haunting theme though sung by the late Dusty Springfield. Mmmmm.

[samkydd]

Well they didn't do a bad job then making a banquet of it, innocent times or not! Excellent film, very well acted. John Hurt superb as always.

I once stayed at a country house in Hampshire where some of the infamous weekend parties organised by Stephen Ward took place. I don't know if he owned the place or just borrowed/rented it from time to time. Unfortunately it was 30 years after those events took place!





The film is worth getting just for that glorious bare bottom by the swimming pool, unfortunately the rest of it seems like a potted reconstruction on Crimewatch!