Scandal (1989)

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 | Profumo Scandal | Osteopath | Political Scandal | 1960s

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:

This film narrowly escaped an X rating in the U.S. because of some questionable footage during the Cliveden House orgy sequence. Under closer scrutiny it was determined that a couple of extras were engaged in actual copulation on a piano in one of the background scenes. Even though they were not captured in sharp focus, the scene had to be trimmed for all general releases to avoid the restrictive rating, which BBFC censor James Ferman accomplished by defusing the light from a table-lamp in the foreground. The inquisitive-minded will find this sequence at approximately 49 minutes and 5 seconds into the movie.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Mandy Rice Davies and Christine Keeler are walking in the early morning alongside the river Thames, there is a modern 1980s coach crossing the bridge in the background.

Quotes:

Stephen Ward: All Russians are spies, it's how they're brought up.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Nothing Has Been Proved

More Than Just a History Lesson

If "Scandal" (1989) was not a fairly accurate recounting of Britain's John Profumo Affair, the characters and events would be too weird to be considered plausible fiction. Defense Minister Profumo's attempt to refute allegations of his involvement with Christine Keeler ultimately brought down the 10 year Conservative Party government back in the mid-1960's. "Scandal recreates these events and gives the viewer a glimpse into the personalities and possible motives of the main players in this political soap opera.

But recreating history is a secondary consideration in this film whose theme is about individuals who live in a fairy tale world until they fall victim to the grim forces that take life more seriously. The main player is Stephen Ward (John Hurt), a osteopath and recreational artist whose main goal is to be part of the right crowd, not so much immersed in this kind of society as in a position to observe it closely for his amusement. His method for doing so involves discovering ravishing young women from the poor side of town and doing a Henry Higgins number on them. The film begins with his discovery of Keeler (Joanne Whalley) who he begins grooming and introducing to prominent members of his in-crowd.

The two soon fall in love, but theirs is not a physical relationship. Stephen delights in seeing his protégé work her magic on men in authority. This eventually leads to their doom, since no one quite understands such an unconventional relationship they have no credibility when an attempt is made to make Stephen a scapegoat for the government scandal.

In retrospect the process of attacking Ward to contain the widening scandal was one of the two most shameful abuses of the judicial system in post war Britain. Coincidentally Hurt played the victim in the other one as well; "10 Rillington Place" (1971), in which Hurt is wrongly executed for a murder committed by his landlord, the now notorious serial killer John Christie.

"Scandal" is a powerful and arresting film with solid performances. Whalley has the biggest role and is a bit too intelligent looking to be completely believable as a character like Keeler. But she is so nice to look at that almost anyone would willingly trade credibility for scenery-and she is otherwise entirely convincing in an excellent performance. I first noticed her in "Willow", the film she made just before "Scandal". She had a secondary part but her scenes were the most memorable in the entire film. Hurt somehow sells you on the fact that his character derives an innocent joy from simply seeing a beautiful young woman walking down the street on a nice day.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.