I had thought that this 1972 film was on the road to oblivion, but I have just seen a notice that it is scheduled for a new release as a DVD for home viewing next March. This is why I am now submitting comments on a film which was very forgettable, and which I had almost forgotten. Choosing older films for release as DVD's has become a big gamble for distributors - the residue of many of those selected often end up in the clearance bins of large stores, priced sometimes as low as $2 each. This debases the market, making many purchasers wary about paying the listed price for a new release. "Every Afternoon" was probably selected for re-release because it was felt to come into the niche area of erotic but not hardcore productions which make an appeal not only to the customers who used to purchase, but later abandoned, the many very monotonous hardcore productions that swamped the early DVD market; but also to those adults who are looking for slightly more spicy fare than traditional family comedies. However, as I remember it, I certainly would not have classed this film as genuinely erotic; it had more in common with British sex comedies from the same period that were sometimes quite enjoyable to watch but were mostly extremely forgettable. What distinguished it from such films was a memorable performance by Diana Dors as the Madam of a house devoted to providing visiting gentlemen with both kinky cabaret performances and other delights - partly provided by her two nubile daughters. (SPOILER FOLLOWS) The film is the story of a rising urge by these two young women to establish lives of their own, and it predictably ends with them finally leaving "home", despite the ingratitude that their mother feels such behaviour shows. (END) Diana Dors was a great actress and her early death was a real loss for the entertainment industry. In a very busy life she had roles in about eighty films as well as numerous television and stage appearances. She was a dedicated professional who appeared in her first film at the age of 15, and thoroughly earned her major part in the classic film "Oliver Twist" (1948) two years later. She always showed great sex appeal, and was not above showing her attractions on stage in the twilight days of the British Music Hall when other work was not plentiful. But in selecting her roles she never relied on sex appeal to substitute for dramatic ability and one of her earlier film successes was in "Yield to the Night" (1956) where she played a condemned murderer in prison under very non-glamorous conditions. Later she had a significant success in a Shakespearian role, in the highly regarded BBC film of "Timon of Athens" (1981). In "Every Afternoon" she played the part of a Madam - a role which she undertook very successfully more than once. Her performance certainly provides the most valid reason for watching but, as I remember, it was not as well rounded as the one she gave a few years later in a similar role in "Champagnegalopp" (1975). Although the latter was not a great commercial success, it was a much better film that provided not only excellent comedy but also a significant insight into the social mores of the Victorian era.
DVD's of most of Diana Dors performances are not easy to come by, and I would really like to see more of her earlier works such as "A Boy, a Girl and a Bike" (1949) made available for home viewing. "Champagnegalopp", which was released as a DVD last year, would be my choice for purchase above "Every Afternoon", but to those who admire Diana Dor's work as much as I do, watching both DVD's will be a must. Nevertheless, although I remember that some of the kinky cabaret scenes in "Every Afternoon" were very amusing, I do not feel the film was good enough to justify its purchase. If you do not greatly admire Diana's work, I would recommend passing this one when it appears, but for admirers of Miss Dors I would suggest hiring the DVD once it becomes available before you decide whether you want to purchase it.
A final comment, I was a little disturbed to see that this DVD is being released under the alternate title "Swedish Wildcats" that was used in an early videotape of the film. The somewhat disparaging ethnic implications of this title (the film is listed as banned in Sweden - is this why?) are not only not PC today, but are completely unnecessary. The title under which it is released is unlikely to influence me when I see it again and finally decide whether to purchase a copy for myself, but the distributors should be aware that I would feel less comfortable buying a copy of "Swedish Wildcats" than of "Every Afternoon".
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