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Comedy

Personal Services

- The future lies in kinky people

The story of the rise of a madame of a suburban brothel catering to older men, inspired by the real experiences of Cynthia Payne. The story follows Christine Painter as the down-at-heel waitress who, with the help of prostitute Shirley and cross-dressing Wing Commander Morten, seeks to up her earnings by turning her suburban home into a brothel. Before long she and her girls are chaining up judges, spanking Generals and attending to the needs of Honourable Members. Christine sees herself as providing a vital service to these harmless pervs and when finally the house is busted and the case comes to court, it's fair to say that the presiding judge isn't unfamiliar with her work.

Release Date : 1987-02-12

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : British Screen ProductionsZenith EntertainmentUnited International Pictures

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Julie Walters

Character Name : Christine Painter

Original Name : Julie Walters

Gender : Female

Shirley Stelfox

Character Name : Shirley

Original Name : Shirley Stelfox

Gender : Female

Alec McCowen

Character Name : Wing Commander Morten

Original Name : Alec McCowen

Gender : Male

Danny Schiller

Character Name : Dolly

Original Name : Danny Schiller

Gender : Male

Tim Woodward

Character Name : Timms

Original Name : Tim Woodward

Gender : Male

Suzette Llewellyn

Character Name : Helen

Original Name : Suzette Llewellyn

Gender : Female

Victoria Hardcastle

Character Name : Rose

Original Name : Victoria Hardcastle

Gender : Male

Dave Atkins

Character Name : Sydney

Original Name : Dave Atkins

Gender : Male

Ewan Hooper

Character Name : Edward

Original Name : Ewan Hooper

Gender : Male

Alan Bowyer

Character Name : David Painter

Original Name : Alan Bowyer

Gender : Male

Peter Cellier

Character Name : Mr. Marples

Original Name : Peter Cellier

Gender : Male

Benjamin Whitrow

Character Name : Mr. Marsden

Original Name : Benjamin Whitrow

Gender : Male

Stephen Lewis

Character Name : Mr. Dunkley

Original Name : Stephen Lewis

Gender : Male

John Shrapnel

Character Name : Lionel

Original Name : John Shrapnel

Gender : Male

Nigel Le Vaillant

Character Name : The Man

Original Name : Nigel Le Vaillant

Gender : Male

Ron Pember

Character Name : Ron

Original Name : Ron Pember

Gender : Male

Ivor Roberts

Character Name : Glossop

Original Name : Ivor Roberts

Gender : Male

Arthur Cox

Character Name : Lennox

Original Name : Arthur Cox

Gender : Male

Stanley Lebor

Character Name : Jones

Original Name : Stanley Lebor

Gender : Male

John Bailey

Character Name : Mr. Gardner

Original Name : John Bailey

Gender : Male

Carolyn Allen

Character Name : Carol

Original Name : Carolyn Allen

Gender : Female

Sheila Gill

Character Name : Mrs. Winter

Original Name : Sheila Gill

Gender : Female

Jagdish Kumar

Character Name : Mr. Shah

Original Name : Jagdish Kumar

Gender : Male

Badi Uzzaman

Character Name : Mr. Patel

Original Name : Badi Uzzaman

Gender : Male

Arnold Brown

Character Name : The Vicar

Original Name : Arnold Brown

Gender : Male

Toni Palmer

Character Name : Aunt Winnie

Original Name : Toni Palmer

Gender : Female

Andrew MacLachlan

Character Name : Mr. McClellan

Original Name : Andrew MacLachlan

Gender : Male

Arthur Hewlett

Character Name : Mr. Francis

Original Name : Arthur Hewlett

Gender : Male

Andreas Markos

Character Name : Mr. Costas

Original Name : Andreas Markos

Gender : Male

Michael Packer

Character Name : Ralph

Original Name : Michael Packer

Gender : Male

Ian McNeice

Character Name : Harry

Original Name : Ian McNeice

Gender : Male

Helen Gemmell

Character Name : Jenny

Original Name : Helen Gemmell

Gender : Male

Clare Clifford

Character Name : Fay

Original Name : Clare Clifford

Gender : Female

Joanna Dickens

Character Name : Gloria

Original Name : Joanna Dickens

Gender : Female

Charlotte Alexandra

Character Name : Diane

Original Name : Charlotte Alexandra

Gender : Female

Antony Carrick

Character Name : Edgar

Original Name : Antony Carrick

Gender : Male

Leon Lissek

Character Name : Mr. Popozogolou

Original Name : Leon Lissek

Gender : Male

Arthur Whybrow

Character Name : Mac

Original Name : Arthur Whybrow

Gender : Male

Anthony Collin

Character Name : Mr. Webb

Original Name : Anthony Collin

Gender : Male

Peter Wight

Character Name : Detective Gibson

Original Name : Peter Wight

Gender : Male

Adam Morris

Character Name : Man in Video

Original Name : Adam Morris

Gender : Male

Lorena Lee

Character Name : The Angel

Original Name : Lorena Lee

Gender : Male

Allan Stirland

Character Name : Phil

Original Name : Allan Stirland

Gender : Male

Mark Hardy

Character Name : Nicole

Original Name : Mark Hardy

Gender : Male

Lorraine Brunning

Character Name : Angela

Original Name : Lorraine Brunning

Gender : Male

Rupert Holliday-Evans

Character Name : Terry

Original Name : Rupert Holliday-Evans

Gender : Male

Michelle Collins

Character Name : June

Original Name : Michelle Collins

Gender : Female

Pamela Duncan

Character Name : Jackie

Original Name : Pamela Duncan

Gender : Female

David Leland

Character Name : Mr. Pilkington / Danielle

Original Name : David Leland

Gender : Male

Janie Booth

Character Name : Court Usher

Original Name : Janie Booth

Gender : Female

Nick Stringer

Character Name : P.C. Baker

Original Name : Nick Stringer

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-07-24

Julie Walters is great in this story of a woman who starts off life working in a café but ends up being arrested for living off the immoral earnings made running a brothel for the great and the good. It's loosely based on the rise and fall of the renowned madam Cynthia Payne (who consulted on the drama) and reaches inside the murky sex industry, laying bare peccadilloes galore as we discover a wide variety of kinks that keep all ranges of society entertained and/or employed. "Christine" is a shrewd business woman whom aided by her stalwart "Dolly" (Danny Schiller); "Shirley" (Shirley Stelfox) and the RAF veteran Wing Commander - in panties and a bra - "Morten" (Alec McCowen) is making quite a go of her elicit enterprise. The police pop up now and again, but for the most part Terry Jones left me with thinking that this is actually quite an empowering drama. Certainly some of the women taking part do so out of necessity - and perhaps that is rather underplayed here - but we are also presented with the inescapable fact that human beings are all different and that the Victorian-era proscription of sex, and of sexual practices between consenting adults is long outdated and certainly no business of the state or their agencies. David Leland has written a script that is peppered with realism, sarcasm and proves ideal for the on-form Walters and her well targeted delivery. It does meander around familial discord a bit, which I didn't need - but the last few scenes speak (or should that be spank) volumes about the hypocrisy and double-standards that prevail in a society that should enjoy sex and keep it's nose where it belongs... It's good fun and thought-provoking in equal measure, and well worth a watch.