To tackle the problem of streetwalkers in Victorian London, a plot is hatched with the blessings of the home secretary to organize a high-end house of ill repute aimed at rich customers, with the government's blessings, provided any hints of scandal can be avoided.
There were a LOT of crazy comedies made in England in the mid-to-late 60s, perhaps starting with "A HARD DAYS NIGHT" on to "THE ABC MURDERS", "WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT" and a multitude of others. Suffice to say, this is another one of those. The plot is all over the place, with 3 or 4 main threads colliding in a classic case of people working at cross-purposes, but I have to say, it's WELL-ENOUGH done that it's way, WAY better than, say, "CASINO ROYALE". That may not sound like high praise, but Joanna Pettet has a prominent role in both, so it's a fitting comparison.
She plays a woman trying to "save" fallen women and teach them professions they can support themselves with (I think of "Laura Lyons" in "Hound of the Baskervilles" who took a course in typing after her abusive husband deserted her). Then there's David Hemmings, who plays a journalist who's inspired to support her cause... and, also, plays the sex-maniac nephew of a government official who's trying to get back into his uncle's will after being disowned, and sees setting up the "house" as the best way to do it.
And then there's "Count Pandolfo", who's building a spectacular airship, but is having trouble getting publicity for it. This seemingly-unconnected thread winds up having more and more to do with the "main" story that one would expect. Pandolfo is played by one of my favorite English character actors, Warren Mitchell, who I lovingly recall from 2 episodes of "THE AVENGERS" and several of "THE SAINT", but is probably best known in England as the star of "TIL DEATH DO US PART", the show "ALL IN THE FAMILY" was based on.
In addition, there's a mountain of wonderful character actors crammed into this in large and tiny parts. Just the ones I'm familiar with include George Sanders, John Cleese, Bill Fraser (the police inspector who was never told that the house was set up by the government for the gentry), Maurice Denham (the newspaper publisher), Wolfe Morris (the Chinese trade ambassador involved with an opium farm; I just saw him as a Chinese fighter in an early AVENGERS episode), Martita Hunt (her last film), Hugh Burden, Eric Barker, Veronica Carlson (one of the prostitutes), Ferdy Mayne, Margaret Nolan, Rhonda Parker, Milton Reid (a Chinese swordsman), and finally, Peter Jeffrey (one of my favorite recurring faces on THE AVENGERS) and Thorley Walters, playing a pair of characters who are, apparently, NOT Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Watson!
There were several genuinely funny moments in here. One of my favorites was when they hear "Dr. Jekyll" is on the guest list, and someone says, "Better send him TWO passes."
This may not ever become one of my favorite comedies, but it was definitely worth getting ahold of. It amazes me I never heard of this until quite recently, and it also rather blows my mind that it was given an 'X' rating, the very 1st film to ever get one from the MPAA.
There were a LOT of crazy comedies made in England in the mid-to-late 60s, perhaps starting with "A HARD DAYS NIGHT" on to "THE ABC MURDERS", "WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT" and a multitude of others. Suffice to say, this is another one of those. The plot is all over the place, with 3 or 4 main threads colliding in a classic case of people working at cross-purposes, but I have to say, it's WELL-ENOUGH done that it's way, WAY better than, say, "CASINO ROYALE". That may not sound like high praise, but Joanna Pettet has a prominent role in both, so it's a fitting comparison.
She plays a woman trying to "save" fallen women and teach them professions they can support themselves with (I think of "Laura Lyons" in "Hound of the Baskervilles" who took a course in typing after her abusive husband deserted her). Then there's David Hemmings, who plays a journalist who's inspired to support her cause... and, also, plays the sex-maniac nephew of a government official who's trying to get back into his uncle's will after being disowned, and sees setting up the "house" as the best way to do it.
And then there's "Count Pandolfo", who's building a spectacular airship, but is having trouble getting publicity for it. This seemingly-unconnected thread winds up having more and more to do with the "main" story that one would expect. Pandolfo is played by one of my favorite English character actors, Warren Mitchell, who I lovingly recall from 2 episodes of "THE AVENGERS" and several of "THE SAINT", but is probably best known in England as the star of "TIL DEATH DO US PART", the show "ALL IN THE FAMILY" was based on.
In addition, there's a mountain of wonderful character actors crammed into this in large and tiny parts. Just the ones I'm familiar with include George Sanders, John Cleese, Bill Fraser (the police inspector who was never told that the house was set up by the government for the gentry), Maurice Denham (the newspaper publisher), Wolfe Morris (the Chinese trade ambassador involved with an opium farm; I just saw him as a Chinese fighter in an early AVENGERS episode), Martita Hunt (her last film), Hugh Burden, Eric Barker, Veronica Carlson (one of the prostitutes), Ferdy Mayne, Margaret Nolan, Rhonda Parker, Milton Reid (a Chinese swordsman), and finally, Peter Jeffrey (one of my favorite recurring faces on THE AVENGERS) and Thorley Walters, playing a pair of characters who are, apparently, NOT Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Watson!
There were several genuinely funny moments in here. One of my favorites was when they hear "Dr. Jekyll" is on the guest list, and someone says, "Better send him TWO passes."
This may not ever become one of my favorite comedies, but it was definitely worth getting ahold of. It amazes me I never heard of this until quite recently, and it also rather blows my mind that it was given an 'X' rating, the very 1st film to ever get one from the MPAA.