IMDb RATING
6.4/10
5.6K
YOUR RATING
Based on the Profumo Scandal of 1963, an affair between an exotic dancer and the Minister of War shakes up the British government.Based on the Profumo Scandal of 1963, an affair between an exotic dancer and the Minister of War shakes up the British government.Based on the Profumo Scandal of 1963, an affair between an exotic dancer and the Minister of War shakes up the British government.
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
Joanne Whalley
- Christine Keeler
- (as Joanne Whalley-Kilmer)
Jeroen Krabbé
- Eugene Ivanov
- (as Jeroen Krabbe)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie narrowly escaped an X rating in the U.S. because of some questionable footage during the Cliveden House orgy scene. Closer scrutiny revealed that two extras were having real sex on a piano in one of the background scenes. Even though the images were blurry, 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 about 49 minutes and five seconds into the movie.
- GoofsA title card says, "One Year Later, 1962," indicating that Profumo addressed Parliament about Keeler that year. Profumo addressed Parliament in March 1963.
- Quotes
Stephen Ward: All Russians are spies, it's how they're brought up.
- Alternate versionsOriginal 114-minutes British version was shortened to 108 minutes for the USA theatrical release in order to avoid a X rating.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Wogan: Wogan with Sue Lawley (1989)
Featured review
What seemed shocking in the 50's is almost commonplace in the debauched 21st Century, so to get a proper perspective on how controversial this was, one would probably have to have been alive during the period. In the absence of possessing a time machine though, one can only guess the outrage at the revelation that British MPs had secret sex parties and slept with prostitutes. WOW! If there is a similarity between now and then though, it's seems to be the determination of the tabloid press to publish as many lurid headlines as possible, regardless of how many lives they ruin. Vultures, the lot of 'em.
For such a saucy role, it's surprising that Joanne Whalley-Kilmer doesn't show much skin... Apart from the most obvious use of a body double ever. Never mind, her co-stars more than make up for it on that score, including a rather young Bridget Fonda, fumbling with an English accent. John Hurt and Ian Mckellen complete an impressive cast, who tackle their roles with gusto and make it an engaging ensemble piece.
I enjoyed it as an exposé of the morals and hypocrisies of a Britain on the verge of the Swinging Sixties, but was never truly engrossed. Nowadays, in a world where a woman can build a business empire based on one sex tape, you just know that everyone involved in this tawdry affair would be big reality TV stars. A sign of the times indeed. Sigh... 6/10
For such a saucy role, it's surprising that Joanne Whalley-Kilmer doesn't show much skin... Apart from the most obvious use of a body double ever. Never mind, her co-stars more than make up for it on that score, including a rather young Bridget Fonda, fumbling with an English accent. John Hurt and Ian Mckellen complete an impressive cast, who tackle their roles with gusto and make it an engaging ensemble piece.
I enjoyed it as an exposé of the morals and hypocrisies of a Britain on the verge of the Swinging Sixties, but was never truly engrossed. Nowadays, in a world where a woman can build a business empire based on one sex tape, you just know that everyone involved in this tawdry affair would be big reality TV stars. A sign of the times indeed. Sigh... 6/10
- natashabowiepinky
- Sep 12, 2013
- Permalink
- How long is Scandal?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $7,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $8,800,000
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $658,660
- Apr 30, 1989
- Gross worldwide
- $8,800,000
- Runtime1 hour 46 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content