Scandal Movie Review
Even more so than the Americans, the British seem particularly vulnerable to sex scandals. Sex is essential for producing heirs, but the preservation of appearances often seems to be far more essential. Not that it matters, but the Profumo scandal of 1963 has always seemed like much ado about nothing. It certainly didn't deserve to lead to suicide, betrayal, exile, social ostracism, and political disgrace. The centerpiece of the scandal was an artistic, name-dropping osteopath named Dr. Stephen Ward, sensitively portrayed in Scandal by John Hurt. Ward liked to surround himself with “good time girls” (prostitutes is too strong a word) and never seemed to get laid himself. The best that Ward could hope for was to increase his sphere of influence by encouraging the liaisons of his protegees with potential dukes and lords. One big mystery in the scandal is why Christine Keeler was worth (as she claims) even a five-night stand when Mrs. Profumo was the beautiful and elegant Valerie Hobson. Hobson, star of such classics as Bride of Frankenstein, Great Expectations, and Kind Hearts and Coronets, had given up a long and successful film career to marry Profumo in 1954, and she remained loyal to him before, during, and after the scandal. One hot Saturday night on July 8, 1961, the couple attended a party at the Cliveden estate of Lord and Lady Astor where they met Ward, Keeler, and Eugene “Honey Bear” Ivanov, a Soviet attache. Scandal fudges on certain details. A wife would have to be brain dead not to see the sexual games between Profumo and Keeler as they are shown in the film. In real life, Keeler's friend Mandy Rice-Davies named Valerie Hobson's former co-star, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., as one of her lovers. His name is changed to David Fairfax Jr. in the film. The actual son-in-law of Fairbanks, Richard Morant, appears in Scandal as a playboy. Britt Ekland, described by her former husband, the late Peter Sellers, as “a professional girlfriend and an amateur actress” is sixth-billed as a party hostess at an orgy. Scandal is mostly Hurt's film, although Joanne Whalley is quite good as Christine. As Mandy Rice-Davies, Bridget Fonda extends her family's onscreen charisma to the third generation. Ian McKellen isn't given much to say or do with the role of Profumo. The film solicits intense sympathy for Keeler and Ward and largely succeeds, thanks to Hurt and Whalley. Director Michael Caton-Jones films the first half of the picture rather like a comedy. All the childish games appear to be great fun, which they probably were while they lasted. Even in 1963, the notion of a War Minister sharing military secrets with a five-night stand must have seemed fantastic to anyone but a Big Mouth with a vivid imagination like Stephen Ward. But there's no compassionate grown up around to protect these adult youngsters from hurting themselves, and hurt themselves they did, until revisionist filmmakers romanticized them for 1989 audiences.
1989 (R) 105m/C GB John Hurt, Joanne Whalley, Ian McKellen, Bridget Fonda, Jeroen Krabbe, Britt Ekland, Roland Gift, Daniel Massey, Leslie Phillips, Richard Morant; D: Michael Caton-Jones; W: Michael Thomas; C: Mike Molloy; M: Carl Davis. VHS, LV