Streetwalking prostitute, Rose gets a three-month prison sentence for, well, street walking. With the help of her friend, benevolent social-worker, Louise they try start a campaign for the legalization of prostitution. Meanwhile, prostitute, Sandra leaves Birmingham and its massage parlours to become a "high class" prostitute in London.
The film could have been preachy, but like Cathy Come Home (a social realist film dealing with homelessness), because of the characterization and human aspect it manages to avoid being overtly moralistic. The film won't be to everyone's taste and a few reviewers described the film as boring. I can see why, but despite the subject matter, which has been done to death since, I found it fascinating. Have a look at Secret Diaries of a Call Girl to see a glamorized and some would say false view of prostitution. The film is shot to seem like a documentary. The acting is very naturalistic. It's a wonder why the actresses involved haven't been more successful or better known, or like many British actors tipped as being the next big thing, they just dropped off the radar or chose family life.Unfortunately, this film has a few stereotypes. They may not have been at the time, but the bent copper that gets paid off with oral sex and cash and the "dolly birds" discussing men's penises are all comedy clichés. At the time, and given this film was meticulously researched the corrupt policemen and chatty tarts were probably a regular staple of that lifestyle.
The film serves as an interesting period piece and seems distinctively retro. Look out for a Raleigh Chopper bike, complete with "testicle crippler" brake handle and many cars you don't see on the road any more. And while Birmingham may appear crowded and full of concrete skyscrapers to audiences in the 1980s, especially those from rural areas, compared to Birmingham in the 21st century it is positively sparse. The same can be applied to London. In one scene that has a lot of impact. A client dresses as a little girl and meets Sandra who is dressed as a little girl. "I look like a Berk" she proclaims. What follows is a stilted conversation, about the man wanting to play with her. Sandra warms to him and loosens up. This scene may have been highly shocking at the time, now with adult baby minding and cross dressing becoming well-known, the impact is taken away slightly, but it still makes you unsettled. That is a testament to acting and direction. In short, it's not a timeless movie, but why should it be?
The DVD has been remastered and has a superb picture, free from archive damage. For a film of this age as you would expect sound is 2.0 stereo, all levels are clear and free from static and other aural annoyances. The DVD is fully uncut and features the explicit oily handjob scene that was cut for cinema release. There's also a bonus documentary as an extra Jan Worth's Taking a Part - which is a student film about prostitution and is worth a look, at least once. Well worth the £8 I paid for it and I'm so glad that this isn't another lost British film.
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