There are films that get savaged by critics, fail at the box office and subsequently get forgotten for the simple reason of being made at the worst possible time. Crimes of Passion, 1984 erotic drama directed by Ken Russell, is one such film.
Protagonist, played by Kathleen Turner, is Joanna Crane, woman who leads a double life. By day she is dedicated uptight workaholic employee of the respectable fashion house while at night she takes the identity of street prostitute nicknamed “China Blue” who engages in all kinds of bizarre sex acts with her clients. She is about to encounter two different men who will get attracted to her for different reasons. One of them is Bobby Grady (played by Tom Loughlin), electronics store owner who, on the surface, lives seemingly perfect life after marrying his high school sweetheart Amy (played by Annie Potts) and having two children. But, this is only facade, because Amy is actually frigid while Gradys’ money is tight and Bobby has to moonlight as private investigator. One of his clients is owner of Joanna’s fashion house who suspects her of industrial espionage and wants Bobby to follow her. Bobby does so and not only finds her big secret, but also falls in love with her and two of them, despite awkwardness of the situation, start romantic relationship. Another man in Joanna’s life is Reverend Peter Shayne (played by Anthony Perkins), street preacher who is obviously mentally imbalanced and who is obsessed with the idea to “save” Joanna, although the exact nature of salvation might be related with large knife-like dildo he is carrying in his bag.
Script by Barry Sandler was originally written in 1970s and dealt with the issue characteristic of that time – disappearance of traditional morality which allowed people to have unlimited and unrestrained sex, yet also detached sex from love and marriage. Ken Russell, British film maker known for dealing with sexual themes in a shocking and irreverent ways, seemed perfect for this film, but only if it had been made few years earlier. In mid 1980s, with AIDS and Reagan fuelling the reaction against Sexual Revolution, American audience and establishment were becoming increasingly conservative and had little understanding for iconoclastic themes and styles. Crimes of Passion was first butchered by increasingly prudish censors, then attacked by critics complaining about the lack of good taste, than by radical feminists who (just like in the case of Body Double at the same time) called it misogynistic. If made decade later, in more relaxed and permissive atmosphere of Clinton’s years, Crime of Passion would have gotten much better treatment by critics. Russell, despite his tendency for shocking images, shows great visual skill, especially in scenes that take place in the neon-lit streets and rooms of red light district which is depicted as sleazy but interesting place. British rock musician Rick Wakeman also provides an interesting and memorable synthesiser-based musical score which was inspired by Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony. Turner is perfectly cast in her role, playing a difficult double role that requires her not only to get naked but as “China Blue” also to play various other characters from clients’ fantasies. Relatively unknown John Loughlin, who looks like a picture-perfect embodiment of American male, is also good in role that gradually peels away facade of stereotypes and reveals much more vulnerable character. Anthony Perkins, on the other hand, goes over the top playing another psychotic character like so many he had been typecast for following the role of Norman Bates in Psycho, film which is given rather explicit and actually uninspired homage at the very end. While Russell has put great effort creating memorable images, he mostly ignored plot holes and cliches in Sandler’s script. Some of them are responsible for Crimes of Passion being quite annoying for the audience that expects erotic thriller and instead gets something rather different. Great performance by Turner at her prime, on the other hand, should be enough to make this film bearable even to some viewers who aren’t her fans.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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