- Actors: John Hurt, Joanne Whalley, Bridget Fonda, Ian McKellen, Leslie Phillips
- Directors: Michael Caton-Jones
- Writers: Michael Thomas
- Producers: Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Joe Boyd, Nik Powell, Redmond Morris
- Format: NTSC, Import
- Language: English
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Number of discs: 1
- MPAA Rating:
- Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
- Release Date: Sep 5 2000
- Run Time: 106 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- ASIN: 6305971196
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
This complex and intriguing drama chronicles--with some probable narrative liberties--the chain of events that instigated the provocative Profumo affair, the infamous cold war scandal that toppled Britain's conservative government in the early 1960s. John Hurt stars as charming osteopath Stephen Ward, who grooms a malleable and beautiful teen showgirl, Christine Keeler (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer), to party with his swinging high-society friends. Trouble starts brewing when Christine becomes simultaneously entangled with both a Russian diplomat and a British cabinet minister. Once the media learn of her sexual escapades, the reigning Conservative Party comes under fire and begins seeking a scapegoat to distract the public from the dangerous political implications that the affairs represent. Under Michael Caton-Jones's confident direction, the film generates sympathy for its decadent lead characters, and it intelligently explores how private personal matters become vulgar public affairs when political machinations intrude. The most intriguing aspect of Scandal is the platonic love affair between Keeler and Ward amid the trials and tribulations of their stormy relationship--think of it as a twisted variation on My Fair Lady. The fine cast also includes Ian McKellan as John Profumo and Bridget Fonda as Christine's partner-in-fun Mandy Rice-Davies. The uncut DVD version features a little more skin than the R-rated release, although viewers will probably wonder why those few extra shots caused such a stir. --Bryan Reesman
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Not as advertised, but...
July 9 2011
Format:DVD
As other reviewers have pointed out, certain scenes are missing from this so-called "un-cut and uncensored" version, which is very disappointing, but at least the golden nipples scene stayed in, lol.
This film is a marvel in many ways. A gifted director (undeniably in a league with Orson Welles and Kenneth Branagh) brings us into the past with a great script, great costumes, period cars and décor, and a heck of a history lesson to boot.
The director can be forgiven for putting Bridget Fonda in the film (why do Americans always think they can put on a British accent??! Think Dick Van Dyke in "Mary Poopins" :-p ) because he shows us history without preaching some version of morality.
The main characters behaved as they wished and weren't frightened of or inhibited by sexuality, but "society" tried to impose restrictions and to punish those who dared to be themselves.
Granted, Stephen Ward did seem to be a conniving social climber, but if that was his worst crime...
The story moves along at a good pace and presents a balanced view of the time, places, and people, and provides some amusement as well.
We watch this film at least once a year and we enjoy it each time we do... and it adds a spring in our step for about a week :-)
This film is a marvel in many ways. A gifted director (undeniably in a league with Orson Welles and Kenneth Branagh) brings us into the past with a great script, great costumes, period cars and décor, and a heck of a history lesson to boot.
The director can be forgiven for putting Bridget Fonda in the film (why do Americans always think they can put on a British accent??! Think Dick Van Dyke in "Mary Poopins" :-p ) because he shows us history without preaching some version of morality.
The main characters behaved as they wished and weren't frightened of or inhibited by sexuality, but "society" tried to impose restrictions and to punish those who dared to be themselves.
Granted, Stephen Ward did seem to be a conniving social climber, but if that was his worst crime...
The story moves along at a good pace and presents a balanced view of the time, places, and people, and provides some amusement as well.
We watch this film at least once a year and we enjoy it each time we do... and it adds a spring in our step for about a week :-)
DVD version not as advertised
Jun 21 2004
Format:DVD
My comments are not aimed at the merits of this fine film but at the recent DVD release by Anchor Bay. The cover boasts that the version it contains is "uncut & uncensored"; however, that claim is false. Inexplicably missing is the entire "nightgown" scene with Bridget Fonda, which should appear just after the orgy. I'm pretty sure that this scene appears in every other version of the movie. I'm almost certain it was in the R-rated general release, I know it is in the "uncut" VHS tape, and part of it even appears in the broadcast televsion version. In fact, watching the censored TV cut of that segment on BBC America a month or so ago is what inspired me to order the DVD in the first place. Now I just feel ripped off. This is not the first time I've purchased DVDs that were missing key scenes, but this instance was particularly galling.
A world of rats
Oct 12 2000
Format:DVD
Being born in 1950, I remember the Profumo scandal personally. Since then, many similar scandals have happened. This film shows the hotbed in which such scandals originate, the shady underground of lies, espionage, dirty secrets and money. I expected it to be entertaining, and it was, but it also showed the tragedy of the people involved. All of them - the politicans, the call girls, the swingers - use each other and are being used. The rich, the powerful and beautiful turn out to be a world of rats where the big devour the small. John Hurt as the dubious character Dr. Stephen Ward is at his best - he started as a good actor and, like good wine, got better and better with the years. His Stephen Ward is a rat and yet a sad character, a pawn in the game of men more powerful then he himself, who use him and drop him when they no longer need him. All through the film you despise him, feel disgusted with him, like him and in the end feel sorry for him. The rest of the actors deserves a general applause, and so does everybody else who helped to make this film.
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