Name: Film Review: Scandal (1989)
Item: Scandal
Rating: 60
Author: @drax

(source: tmdb.org)

Experiences of Bill Clinton and Donald Trump suggest that extramarital liaisons or similar breeches of traditional sexual morality aren’t enough to bring down powerful men or governments. Same conclusion can be drawn even from the biggest sex scandal of 20th Century, the event that actually brought down a government – Profumo Affair, which is the subject of Scandal, 1989 historical drama directed by Michael Caton-Jones.

The plot begins in 1959 London. Dr. Stephen Ward (played by John Hurt) is osteopath whose skills and charming personalities brought him many rich, powerful and influential clients thus paving his way to the upper strata of British society. Ward is also hedonist who appreciates beautiful women and, after watching show in one of London’s elite strip clubs, notices young showgirl Catherine Keeler (played by Joanne Whalley). He invites her to live with him and, although their relationship remains platonic, later brings to cottage at the estate of his powerful friend Lord Astor (played by Leslie Phillips). Keeler and her friend and fellow showgirl Mandy Rice-Davies (played by Bridget Fonda) are encouraged to have sex with Astor and other Ward’s powerful friends. Keeler ends up as mistress of Minister of War David Profumo (played by Ian McKellen) while at the same time has romantic liaison with Soviet naval attaché Eugene Ivanov (played by Jerroen Krabbe), creating situation that could have serious repercussions for British national security. It is Keeler’s relationship with Carribean jazz promoter Johnny Edgecombe (played by Roland Gift) that leads to actual scandal; when Edgecombe shoots up her apartment in a jealous fit, police is called, starts investigating and gradually discover Keeler’s set of friends and lovers. All that is gradually leaked to press and Profumo is forced to resign. Ward is suddenly losing all of his friends and is brought to humiliating trial over allegedly running prostitution ring.

Scottish director Michael Caton-Jones does good job in his feature debut, mainly by keeping good pace and allowing that Michael Thomas’ script, originally developed for BBC miniseries, fits neatly into nearly two hours of running time and remains relatively simple and comprehensible despite covering four years and plenty of different characters. Caton-Jones had relatively high budget at his disposal and he used it wisely by convincingly recreating late 1950s and early 1960s with carefully selected soundtrack, costumes, props and other period details. What Caton-Jones couldn’t do was to improve Thomas’ script that lacks proper focus and at times looks like mechanical and soulless depiction of facts. That kind approach is typical of American television films based on true events, and Scandal would have looked like one if not for high budget and, more importantly, many scenes of nudity (including relatively graphic orgy scene that nearly brought dreaded “X” rating by increasingly puritanical American MPAA censors). Thomas’ script had many avenues to explore and put emphasis on – deep social divisions in class-conscious British society that allowed elite to exploit low class women like Keeler and Rice-Davies; Cold War context and whole affair resulting from MI5 botched attempt to use Keeler as honeytrap against Soviet diplomat; role of the vulture-like media in discovering and exploiting scandal; scandal as accidental catalyst for social changes related to Sexual Revolution and Swinging Sixties. However, none of those opportunities were used. The only focus is on Ward, who is ultimately presented a tragic figure, a scapegoat who had to be sacrificed in order to hide British elite’s embarrassment. It is however, debatable, whether such approach could be effective now when many would see Ward in the same light as groomers and abusers in the same league as Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell (whose father, British newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell ironically played part in financing this film, same as now notorious Harvey Weinstein who was one of the producers).

John Hurt, nevertheless, plays Ward very well and this role is often described as one of the finest performances in his career. Joanne Whalley is less fortunate in role of Keeler; despite looking attractive, she fails to evoke much sympathy for her character and her role is compromised with too obvious use of body double in nude scene (apparently because her then-husband Val Kilmer complained on the set). American actress Bridget Fonda didn’t have much qualms while playing Rice-Davies, which was first substantial role in her career; her performance is much better and not only because she plays more down-to-earth and sympathetic figure, but also because she handles British accent well. Ian McKellen is, on the other hand, too cold as powerful politician without much charm and same goes for Dutch actor Jerroen Krabbe in routine role of Soviet diplomat. Although well-made and well-acted, Scandal is nevertheless a disappointment, but it can be recommended to viewers interested in history which is, despite being relatively far, still relevant to the world today.

RATING: 6/10 (++)