Monday, June 13, 2022

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR ACTOR SEAN SCULLY ABOUT ACTING, MOVIES, FILMMAKING, AND WALT DISNEY

Today I am immensely happy to welcome a very special guest, actor Sean Scully, to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS. Sean has acted in many movies over the years including ALMOST ANGELS, A CITY’S CHILD, SUNDAY TOO FAR AWAY, CACTUS, HIGH ROLLING, PHOBIA, and ELIZA FRASER, to name just a few examples. In this five questions post, Sean will be discussing his entry into acting from a young age, the art of acting, film, and television production. 

Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS Sean!

Athan: You made your acting debut as a teenager in British movie HUNTED IN HOLLAND in 1961. Your next three pictures, THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER, ALMOST ANGELS, and DR. SYN, ALIAS THE SCARECROW were produced by Walt Disney. What was the experience of making a movie for the Walt Disney Company, and did you personally meet the famous animator?

Sean: Yes, I did meet Walt Disney once on the final day of the showing, the final day, of the gathering of the people at Shepperton Studios to watch either the rough cut or the fine cut, I can’t remember which one, of THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER. He was there of course and there was a party afterwards in the restaurant. I suppose I had about five minutes with him. People seemed to be a little bit nervous of him. At one stage he was standing by himself in the middle of the room with everybody sort of surrounding him with drinks and chatting. So I just went up to him and made a comment about a film he made that I enjoyed very much, he seemed very happy with that, he seemed a fairly jolly fellow.

And I met him a second time in Vienna when we were making ALMOST ANGELS, he came to the Rosenhugel Studios. Everybody there was queuing up to get his autograph, I jumped into the queue and got his autograph. But I must admit that I just got my payslip and that was the only piece of paper I had on me, and of course there’s printing on one side, and it is blank on the other. I gave him the blank space and he was signing it on a book, and he noticed the figures and the numbers through the paper, and turned it over and had a quick look at what he was signing which I thought was pretty sharp. Signing a blank cheque in other words.

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Athan: After acting in movies from childhood, how did you find the later transition to adult roles? Was it something you found difficult, or did it occur in an organic nature for you?

Sean: Going from acting from childhood to adulthood, no I didn’t find it difficult. I mean movies don’t come along very often, you know, particularly as you’re whizzing through the years from 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, not necessarily films with that age group in it. I was doing stage work and I worked at Birmingham Rep [Birmingham Repertory Theatre], and came back to Australia at the age of seventeen. I came back to Australia because the Taxation Office called me in and said that I’d been double-taxed on my money in America. I’d done a Broadway show there called the The Girl Who Came To Supper. We had checked it out with the accountant before we left for America and he said ‘oh no you won’t be double-taxed’, well that was the worst advice ever. Mum had come back to Australia and I was there by myself and they called me in one day and said we are double-taxing you, and bring your passport in about three days’ time. So I went straight home and phoned home and said, ‘can you, you know, get me out of here’. So I came back to Australia at seventeen with that bill. Finally it wasn’t very much but it was a lot of money in those days. And the Statute of Limitations finally eased my burden some years later. 

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Athan: After a hiatus lasting several years in the 1960s you returned to movie acting in Australia with A CITY’S CHILD in 1971, followed by other films such as SUNDAY TOO FAR AWAY, ELIZA FRASER, and HIGH ROLLING. It was a time when many influential, and daring films were released by Australian directors, with many fine Australian performers showcased. What was it like being part of the renaissance of Australian cinema in the 1970s?

Sean: Look getting into the business in Australia, it just seemed, I mean it was easier to get an agent, you know I had a bit of experience and so forth. I got an agent and just went on. I never thought of it the way you put your question… it was just something that I did…if it came along great, if it didn’t, you know, I’d do something else.

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Athan: You have acted in many television series over the years, including classic shows such as Bellbird, Matlock Police, Division 4, Homicide, The Sullivans, Sons and Daughters, Neighbours, Blue Heelers, and Stingers, which are just some of the shows in your extensive filmography. What for you are the differences which stand out between filmmaking, and television production?

Sean: So the standout differences between filmmaking and television production. Television production, in my experience, is usually in a studio, and there are lots of people and lots of actors and lots of cameras, so it’s a bit fuzzy; film is very focused. There’s a two shot, there’s a one shot, there’s a wide shot, and the lighting is done to every particular shot; the lighting cameraman. It’s just a much more concentrated way of working. So that really kind of really covers that.

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Athan: In 1991 you were the recipient of the Film Critics Circle of Australia award for Best Actor for the movie PHOBIA. What was the feeling at the time at being recognized for your acting work in this manner?

Sean: And you asked about the 1991 film Critics Circle of Australia award. What was the feeling at the time at being recognized for your acting work in this manner? Oh yeah, good. I was working at the time in a play at the Ensemble Theatre in Milsons Point [Sydney], and so I was very late getting there. You know, the party had been going on all night. A number of awards had been given out to various people. I got there just in time to sort of have one drink, and say hello to a couple of actors that I knew. And having it, I guess, yeah was good, but I don’t think that you would necessarily, you know, it’s not winning an Oscar, put it that way. 

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It has been a pleasure having you on the blog Sean, and I thank you for giving readers a great insight into acting as a child performer, the art of acting, Walt Disney, the Australian cinema of the 1970s, and film and television. You are always welcome to return to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS whenever you wish.

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Sean Scully links

*Sean Scully IMDB page

*Sean Scully official website


Monday, June 6, 2022

PLUGG (1975)


Title: PLUGG

Year of Release: 1975

Director: Terry Bourke

Genre: Comedy, Sex Comedy

Synopsis: Private investigator Horatio Plugg is on the trail of infamous escort Kelli Kelly of the Pussycat Escort Agency.

Within a film history context: Australian sex comedies began to appear on cinema screens from 1970. Due to the breakdown of Australian film censorship, and a relaxation of what content could appear on screen, sex comedies began to be made from 1970, beginning to largely peter out by 1975. The first of the genre, John B. Murray's THE NAKED BUNYIP (1970) was a semi-documentary about the sexual habits of Australians, with a young man interviewing various people about the topic. It is seen as being not only a milestone in Australian film censorship but also, inaugurated the sex comedy genre in the country. Next came STORK (1971), directed by Tim Burstall. The story of a young man, and his libidinous adventures resonated with the viewing public, as with THE NAKED BUNYIP, and was one of the most successful Australian films until that time. 1973 brought one of the most notable sex comedies produced in the genre, being Tim Burstall's ALVIN PURPLE (1973). As with STORK, it centred around a young man and his raunchy activities, but ALVIN PURPLE went much further in this department, with a preponderance of nudity, specifically female, and sexual situations. This film was an immense financial success of its time and led to a sequel in 1974, ALVIN RIDES AGAIN, and another in 1984, being MELVIN, SON OF ALVIN, although both were not as profitable as the original. 

THE BOX (1975), directed by Paul Eddey, was a comedy about the goings-on at a fictional television station, and contained a subplot about the entanglements of an ambitious, promiscuous starlet. David Baker's THE GREAT MACARTHY (1975) had an attractive football player whose romantic rendezvous with three different women were charted in this brassy production. THE LOVE EPIDEMIC (1975), directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, as with THE NAKED BUNYIP, had a documentary leaning, but this time concerned with venereal disease, with some comic asides, and plenty of sex and nudity. Richard Franklin's THE TRUE STORY OF ESKIMO NELL (1975) was an Australian western comedy of a man in search of a woman on a postcard, the eponymous Eskimo Nell, whom he seeks for ultimate satisfaction, but the road to finding Nell is one filled with obstacles, both comic and dramatic. One of the most thoughtful of the Australian sex comedies, it has an undercurrent of sadness among the comic set pieces. PLUGG was at the tail-end of the sex comedy genre, being released in 1975, but was not one of the best of its type.

PLUGG had a male protagonist as its central character, in common with all the sex comedies, ranging from THE NAKED BUNYIP, STORK, ALVIN PURPLE, THE GREAT MACARTHY, and THE TRUE STORY OF ESKIMO NELL. It also shared the same male character type who becomes involved with an assortment of woman, many times in compromising positions. In addition, there is the investigative slant in PLUGG,  Plugg being a private investigator, which is also present in a different way in THE NAKED BUNYIP with its advertising employee, and his forays into sexuality. In terms of sexual content, PLUGG has the soft-core scenes which also marked ALVIN PURPLE and THE LOVE EPIDEMIC, but to a lesser extent than these examples. While all the movies, with the exception of STORK and THE GREAT MACARTHY, featured female frontal nudity, in PLUGG it is where this is taken to a more extreme level, as its advertising copy clearly indicates. The frequent nude glimpses of female flesh is the basis on which PLUGG rests, but it is at the expense of a coherent story, unlike ALVIN PURPLE, which had a story in between the nudity, and amorous couplings. 

PLUGG is also differentiated from the other movies in that its central male character was the most elusive of this set of films. Horatio Plugg hardly speaks, or elicits any sympathy from other characters in the story, even though one is given a clear picture of his life, which appears to be a lonely one. Ironically, this is the one aspect of PLUGG which is quite vivid, drawing a picture of him even though a consistent follow up is not there. Male characters in the other films, such as STORK, ALVIN PURPLE, THE TRUE STORY OF ESKIMO NELL, and THE GREAT MACARTHY could hardly be classified as being enigmatic, and this gives these particular movies punch which is missing from PLUGG's half-hearted depiction of its lead. The focus is supposed to be on its lead character, but PLUGG shifts the emphasis on its other male protagonists, who are given much more quality time in the movie. One of the most nonsensical of the Australian sex comedies, PLUGG stands out for, unfortunately, being a terribly convoluted movie.

Overview: Terry Bourke was an Australian director of seven feature films from 1968 to 1981. Mr Bourke's output was varied, with dramas, suspense, thrillers, and one comedy. His movie debut, SAMPAN (1968), was the story of a family in Hong Kong, and how a man with two sons finds himself in a predicament as one of them falls for his wife, being the son's stepmother. NOON SUNDAY (1970) was an action movie about two mercenaries hired to kill political leaders on the island of Guam. Terry Bourke's third feature, NIGHT OF FEAR (1972) was one of his best-known films. The tale of a psychotic man who pursues a woman was one of the first notable horror movies made in Australia, and an eerie viewing experience. He followed this with another horror movie, INN OF THE DAMNED (1975). Set in the late 1890s, a man comes to an inn to investigate the mysterious disappearances of people who visit this establishment. 

Mr Bourke next made LITTLE BOY LOST (1978) which is one of his most striking works. Based upon a true story, the movie detailed the disappearance of a young boy, and his eventual rescue. It was back to unconventional narratives for Terry Bourke with LADY STAY DEAD (1981), his final theatrical movie. Another take on homicidal maniacs from NIGHT OF FEAR, here a psychotic handyman kills a singer in her house, but is unaware that her sister will be coming, subsequently proving more than a match for him. PLUGG was Terry Bourke's fifth film, but definitely not one of his best.

With PLUGG, regrettably, Terry Bourke has made a movie that is at the nadir of his cinematic oeuvre. While his other films have the semblance of a coherent storyline, and a modicum of logic and suspense, this does not apply in the case of PLUGG. It is an uneasy mélange of comedy, sex comedy, slapstick, and soft core pornography to name but a few elements within PLUGG. While the sex comedy genre in itself, admittedly, does not lean to seriousness, with a nod to outrageous antics, in PLUGG there is little rhyme, or reason, for what takes place. It is as if permission has been granted to make a product that pushes the boundaries of acceptability, but only ends up frustrating the viewer with its inadequacies. There are a number of reasons why this is so.

First and foremost, PLUGG does not have a protagonist who inspires any sympathy, or interest in the viewer. While having a private investigator as the lead could have produced many funny moments in the movie, he is not given much mileage to make an impact. Horatio Plugg is seen gallivanting from one situation to the next, generally one naked woman to the other, which is more embarrassing than humorous or raunchy. In the case of a definitive lead character, the baton is passed onto Inspector Closer, who makes much more of an impression in PLUGG. Inspector Closer exhibits anger, apprehension, and humor among other emotions during his running around in the movie. This is the result of not only poor direction but also, a lack of focus in the movie. There is another feature of the movie which is particularly grating.

PLUGG markets itself as a film which is filled with nudity, specifically twenty-five naked female performers, as noted on the movie poster. This quickly becomes tiresome as the film unreels as it is obvious that it is just nudity for the sake of nudity, with a severe lack of motivation for this. By putting its eggs in one basket, PLUGG jumps on the bandwagon of permissiveness. It desperately tries to make a virtue of displaying naked female flesh, but it takes away from the comedy angle that the film also tries to push. PLUGG does have some entertaining scenes, such as the antics of Inspector Closer and Constable Hector, but these are few and far between. In addition, there is a great sequence where Kelli Kelly dances at the poolside to a Latin American song, but, unfortunately, this descends into a nude skinny dipping fest. For all its assertions about nudity, PLUGG does not have the courage of its convictions regarding male nudity. While there is a fleeting vision of male frontal nudity, the movie is bashful in this respect. Herein lies the paradox of PLUGG; a movie that prides itself on shows of nudity stops at male rear nudity. For the above reasons, PLUGG is a stunningly inadequate movie that is one of the lowest points of Australian, and world, cinema.

Acting: PLUGG is not a film where acting is high on its agenda, but, nevertheless, there are several contributions which merit recognition. As Inspector Closer, Norman Yemm delivers an enjoyable performance as the manly policeman. A virile actor who usually plays hardened, volatile men with volcanic tempers which can erupt at any moment, here he plays against type. He has the temperament, but also a subtle sense of humor which was not always on display in his other works. As his sidekick Constable Hector, the gregarious Reg Gorman showcases his trademark humor to great effect. Working well with Norman Yemm, Mr Gorman has some of the most humorous scenes in PLUGG. On the other hand, Peter Thompson as the eponymous inspector Plugg is not of the same calibre. This may not have been the actor's fault due to inept direction, but one never finds out enough about Plugg to make him a distinctive character. 

Cheryl Rixon, as the object of male desire, escort Kelli Kelly, succumbs to the same fate. While Miss Rixon appears to be a likeable actress, she is mainly used for her nudity, and one does not discover exactly why everyone is racing around for her attentions. One of the best performances in the movie is one which is very brief in tenure, but still makes an impact. As Mrs Hampton-Gregg, the woman witnessing the naked pool party in disgust, Margaret Ford brings her character's feelings to the surface, and makes this prissy lady humorous and likeable. She also takes maximum advantage of a British movie tradition whereby a character lambasts a lack of morality, but subsequently smiles in a knowing manner afterward, which ensures laughs from the audience.

Soundtrack: Bob Young's music for PLUGG is serviceable without being striking in any real way. 

Mise-en-scene: PLUGG is average overall in terms of its onscreen experience for viewers. The exterior locations especially give the work some credence, particularly the suburban setting where the pool party takes place, the marina where Kelli Kelly and her lover cavort on the boat, and Herman Cavanagh plays golf. The other settings are not the most eye-catching, such as Horatio Plugg's home and Inspector Closer's office, and appear to be symptomatic of low budget constraints on the production.

Notable Acting Performances: Norman Yemm, Reg Gorman, Margaret Ford.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Male nudity, female nudity, adult themes, sexual content.

Overall GradeE

Link: IMDB Page

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

BOTH WAYS (1975)

Title: BOTH WAYS

Year of Release: 1975

Director: Jerry Douglas

Genre: Adult, Drama

Synopsis: A married man, and father to a young son, has a male lover on the side, which causes him considerable trouble, turning his life upside down in the process.

Within a film history context: Male bisexuality was not a common topic in cinema before the 1970s. One of the first to deal with the subject was Robert Mulligan's INSIDE DAISY CLOVER (1965). The story of a young woman in 1930s Hollywood, and how her life changes irrevocably when she becomes a star, had a subtly shaded bisexual male character played by Robert Redford. TEORAMA (1968), directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, explored the entrance of a young man into an upper class family, and how he insinuates himself both emotionally, and sexually, with its male, and female members. Ken Russell's WOMEN IN LOVE (1969) was set in 1920s England, and featured the relationship between two men, and how this explored the complexities of heterosexuality, bisexuality, and homosexual attraction between these two protagonists. It is famous for a naked tussle between lead actors Alan Bates and Oliver Reed that made clear the characters' bisexual tendencies. With SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE (1970), directed by Harold Prince, a man in post World War II Austria carries on affairs with both a woman, and a man, and others in this black comedy. 

LOOT (1970), directed by Silvio Narizzano, was of an even more offbeat nature. In this movie, two gay lovers plan to rob a bank, which they do naked, but one of them is also involved with a wacky nurse suspected of murder. Michael Tuchner's VILLAIN (1971) had a character alternate between both his male, and female lover in this British crime movie. More potent was SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY (1971), directed by John Schlesinger. This movie charts a very different love triangle, with a young bisexual artist the lover to not only a female doctor but also, another man. Controversial in its time for a kiss between actors Murray Head and Peter Finch, and this homosexual relationship, it was a step forward for depictions of bisexuality in the cinema. Bob Fosse's CABARET (1972), set in 1930s Germany, had a bisexual male character who not only carried on with a woman, but also, a man, in this famous movie. Of all the films which featured male bisexuality as the essence of the movie, BOTH WAYS was the most in-depth.

Where many of the pictures had a bisexual man as a supporting character or slightly greater, such as in INSIDE DAISY CLOVER, LOOT, or CABARET, in BOTH WAYS Donald Wyman dominates the movie. He is the springboard from which all the action in the film emanates. Most similar in manner was TEORAMA, and to a lesser degree SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY, with their male bisexual protagonists infiltrating both male, and female bedrooms with fluidity. BOTH WAYS differs from these in its full-blooded presentation of Donald Wyman's relationships with both men, and women. The film's X-rating allowed for an unrestricted view of Donald's sexual trysts not only with his wife but also, his male lover, and, in one scene, his neighbour's wife. This is something the other pictures could not present due to their mainly R-ratings, which did not permit scenes of actual sexual activity within the respective movies. Having these scenes gives a vividly realistic view of humanity, and how these relationships consequently buckle under from licentious sexuality. BOTH WAYS also goes much further than the other movies in more ways.

WOMEN IN LOVE, LOOT, and SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY touched upon male desire for someone of the same sex, and the problems that occur in such predicaments, but BOTH WAYS takes dicey twists and turns in exploring Donald's bisexuality. These give the movie a psychological edge which raise it considerably in comparison to others in the genre. Having Donald introduce Gary as a friend to his wife was a daring move showing just how overly-confident, and smarmy, he was in showcasing his lover this way. In addition, the crisscrossing of Donald's sexual activities with both his wife, and lover, appears to glamorise these at first glance. In effect, the climax, brought on by Janet's realization that her husband has a male lover, though, gives the movie a palpable sadness, and punch. The net effect leaves the viewer with a sobering picture of a wanton, destructive, and self-destructive lead character who only thinks of his own wants and needs. An audacious entry in the films about male bisexuality, BOTH WAYS is a riveting movie.

Overview: Jerry Douglas was predominately a director of gay hard core pornographic videos who made three feature films which contained a narrative alongside adult sexual activity. His first movie, THE BACK ROW (1973) was the story of two men roaming along Times Square, New York, and indulging in various sexual hijinks. It featured two models who were prominent in many gay films of the Golden Age of Porn, being Casey Donovan, and George Payne. Mr Douglas' final feature film, KISS-OFF (1992), which has fallen into obscurity, was a movie about a policeman, his work, and extracurricular activities, especially those to do with the same sex. Jerry Douglas' second movie, BOTH WAYS, was his best film for a number of striking reasons.

With BOTH WAYS, Jerry Douglas has crafted a strong movie that tackles the issue of male bisexuality head on, carefully examining all sides of the equation. He follows the life of a happily married man, Donald Wyman, who has a loving wife and son, and resides in comfort in the suburbs of New York. A lawyer, he frequents gay leather bars on the side, and has a male lover with whom he is often in contact for secret trysts. At the outset, this may appear a sordid scenario with nothing of value to redeem it, but Jerry Douglas makes his conflicted protagonist someone with whom the audience can sympathize, despite his often duplicitous behavior. It gives the viewer the opportunity to witness the events in the turbulent life of Donald Wyman, and how his actions and passions make deep marks on both his family, and lover. The movie has an honesty in its presentation which raises it above the vast majority of films which contain pornographic content as part of the film's content. In seeking to be as open and frank with the subject matter by including nudity and sex scenes in BOTH WAYS, though, this also works against it in some ways.

Thankfully the majority of sexual content in BOTH WAYS is in snippets rather than full scenes, which could be said to illustrate the hot and heavy relationship, in particular, between Donald and lover Gary. It is spaced out by scenes between the two men communicating on a deeper psychological level, giving this union weight. The sequences between Donald and wife Janet are similarly full of meaning, the sexuality a small part of this exploration of their marriage. Where the film comes unstuck is in the partner-swapping scene where a foursome between Donald, Janet, and their neighbours Hank and Louise takes place at a party. On the one hand it depicts the elastic morals of this group of people, but on the other hand, it veers directly into porno territory with closeups of genitalia and sexual activity. It takes something away from the film with this scene, and could have been abbreviated successfully. The one key thing that occurs during this scene is when Donald reaches for Hank's penis during the orgy, and his advance is rebuffed. This leads to Hank discovering Donald's bisexuality, which gives another dimension to Donald being judged by another man. In addition, Janet's regretful reaction to what occurred at the party is also noteworthy, giving another perspective of this event for the viewer. Other features of BOTH WAYS are likewise worth discussing.

Having a child character in the movie at first glance seems incongruous, but as this is the exploration of a family man and, also, the relationship with his son, it works. It gives the film a pathos, especially in the final scenes where David asks if his father will be joining him and his mother, but Janet does not respond. Another related facet that lifts this movie into a thoughtful sphere are the presence of other supporting characters who give depth to the proceedings. The Wyman housekeeper, Pauline, functions as a Greek chorus, commenting upon the 'strange things' which she feels are taking place in the household. Having Pauline in the film provides another viewpoint on the decaying morality of her employers, as her concern is with the welfare of the Wymans' son David. Her antiques dealer friend Irwin adds yet another outlook on the action. Irwin's final scenes are a surprise out of left field, implying that Donald will be facing more challenges through him, not a simplistic set of events in any respect. On these grounds, BOTH WAYS, despite having pornographic content within its running time, is an intricate, contemplative work that makes the viewer think about male bisexuality, and the messiness of human relationships.

Acting: BOTH WAYS utilizes its cast in a great capacity. In the lead role of Donald Wyman, husband, father, and lover, Gerald Grant excels. An actor who played in four films in his career, this is the movie in which he is best spotlighted. Mr Grant captures the essence of the loving, selfish, sensitive, ruthless Donald, and makes him a thoroughly complex protagonist. As Donald's wife Janet, Andrea True does a fine job as the devoted wife, and mother, whose life is irrevocably affected by her husband's activities. She has a delicacy in her acting that makes Janet a believable figure. As Gary, the other man in the marriage of Donald and Janet, Dean Tait has a naturalness in front of the camera which works. While seeming shy and mousy in the beginning of the movie, Mr Tait unravels layers of Gary being more indomitable than first meets the eye. Neil Scott, as David, Donald and Janet's son, is a convincing performer who makes his character real, and never cloying. Participating in some of the most telling sequences in the film, Mr Scott is touching as another of Donald's victims in the film. Four other actors give great accounts of themselves in BOTH WAYS.

As Hank, the neighbour of Donald and Janet, Bill Morgan exudes an everyman feel that can especially be felt in the supermarket revelation scene with Donald. As with many actors in the movie, Mr Morgan did not appear in many motion pictures, which is a shame considering his work here. More active in the realm of adult movies was Darby Lloyd Rains as Hank's wife Louise. Utterly persuasive as the over-sexed Louise, Miss Rains delivers a dynamite performance in the short time she has on screen. In sheer contrast, Katherine Miles as Pauline, the Wymans' housekeeper, is on the opposite side of the moral spectrum to her employers. In the beginning her character seems to be robotic, and more on the comic side of the fence. As the movie unreels, Miss Miles reveals a sensitivity, and nous, which make Pauline someone who carries an insightful perspective into the lives of the characters she serves. The final acting of note was by Jake Everett as Irwin, the antiques dealer close to Pauline, who is drawn by her into the life of Donald Wyman. The crafty Irwin is given careful shading and humor by Mr Everett, and his scenes are one of the delightful aspects of BOTH WAYS.

Soundtrack: BOTH WAYS has an excellent soundtrack, composed by Hal Jordan, which covers all the emotional bases in the movie. From the sensitive tune when David and Donald are together, to the more intense music during the heated scenes, and the aftermath of Donald and Gary's story, it is 1970s in orientation with its instrumental theme, but nevertheless still effective.

Mise-en-scene: BOTH WAYS works in many ways on a visual level which adds depth to the proceedings. Cinematography by Ken Savitt beautifully captures events with an even use of colour that is pleasing to the eye without ever intruding on what is taking place on screen. Interior, and exterior locations are all well-selected and appropriate to the story. The many outdoor location scenes such as outside the Wyman family home, at the carnival, and where Donald and Janet converse early in the picture, give a sense of being well-rounded. In addition, sets such as the comfortable Wyman family home, Donald's pad in the city, and Hank and Louise's home are all evocative of the characters, and their mindsets in a non-verbal manner, also expressing the socio-economic profiles of its protagonists.

Notable Acting Performances: Gerald Grant, Andrea True, Dean Tait, Neil Scott, Darby Lloyd Rains, Bill Morgan, Katherine Miles, Jake Everett.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Infrequent coarse language, male nudity, female nudity, adult themes, medium-level violence.

Overall GradeB

LinkIMDB Page