What seemed shocking back in the 50s and 60s is laughable matter today. However, the film is dealing with this remarkable and fascinating 60s political scandal. At the height of the cold war, the affair was bound to become high-prized material to be sought relentlessly by the press.
John Porfumo, the secretary of state for war, sleeping with Christine Keeler who had also been sleeping with Soviet naval attaché and spy Yevgeny Ivanov! Enough to induce buttock-clenching extreme embarrassment, at the least, and guaranteed career limitation, in those heady days of cold war espionage irrationality.
Christine Keeler, seductively pretty but naive kiss-and-tell femme fatale whose heart although in the right place did not quite see through the spin that the press were putting on the story to suit their end. Interestingly, Christine Keeler is featured in Bryan Ferry's video of his song "Kiss And Tell" released in the 80s. One would reasonably assume that this is in keeping with the song's subject matter!
Mandy Rice-Davies, streetwise, selfish and manipulating. Blond and far less pretty and seductive than brunette Christine.
Above everyone else however, in this affair, stands Osteopath Stephen Ward, the tragic victim of revenge and injustice. He becomes the scapegoat. One wonders why? Guilty for his lifestyle!? Dark and unsettling days indeed for the judicial system at the time. I can only hope that all implicated in the fabrications against him, wherever they may be now, are experiencing extreme discomfort.
A film that somehow needed a bit more all round theatrical/cinematic substance but makes good viewing anyhow.
John Porfumo, the secretary of state for war, sleeping with Christine Keeler who had also been sleeping with Soviet naval attaché and spy Yevgeny Ivanov! Enough to induce buttock-clenching extreme embarrassment, at the least, and guaranteed career limitation, in those heady days of cold war espionage irrationality.
Christine Keeler, seductively pretty but naive kiss-and-tell femme fatale whose heart although in the right place did not quite see through the spin that the press were putting on the story to suit their end. Interestingly, Christine Keeler is featured in Bryan Ferry's video of his song "Kiss And Tell" released in the 80s. One would reasonably assume that this is in keeping with the song's subject matter!
Mandy Rice-Davies, streetwise, selfish and manipulating. Blond and far less pretty and seductive than brunette Christine.
Above everyone else however, in this affair, stands Osteopath Stephen Ward, the tragic victim of revenge and injustice. He becomes the scapegoat. One wonders why? Guilty for his lifestyle!? Dark and unsettling days indeed for the judicial system at the time. I can only hope that all implicated in the fabrications against him, wherever they may be now, are experiencing extreme discomfort.
A film that somehow needed a bit more all round theatrical/cinematic substance but makes good viewing anyhow.