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 Grade: E

Link: IMDB Page

THE SPORTING CLUB (1971)

Title: THE SPORTING CLUB

Year of Release: 1971

Director: Larry Peerce

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Black Comedy

Synopsis: The chaotic, facetious goings-on of a Michigan shooting club, as seen through the eyes of one of its members, businessman James Quinn.

Within a film history context: Movies which have the activities of a sports club at their core have not been a common occurrence on cinema screens. One of the first documented was James Tinling's CHANGE OF HEART (1938). Charting the relationship between a married couple, the wife being a golf player, who lures her husband into the sport, it was a film which was filmed at an actual country club, giving it authenticity. PAT AND MIKE (1952), directed by George Cukor, afforded the audience some peeks at several sporting clubs in California, including golf, and tennis clubs, with several colorful characters among the comedy and romance. In total contrast, Ron Winston's BANNING (1967) was in a dramatic vein. A professional golf player assumes the job of instructor at a ritzy golf club, his financial problems forcing him into situations he never expected, with an eye on the ladies at the same time. THE SPORTING CLUB was the one film in the genre where viewers were shown a sporting club in detail, in its case, a shooting club.

While the other movies, particularly CHANGE OF HEART, and PAT AND MIKE, were casual with regards to the depictions of the inner workings of a sports club, with THE SPORTING CLUB, the personalities who inhabited this club were front, left and center. With the afore-mentioned movies, romance and comedy were the motivators of the narrative. In THE SPORTING CLUB, the irreverent, violent, eccentric, and anti-social behaviour, and tendencies, of club members were highlighted, the other movies conventional in comparison to the free-for-all of the shooting club members. BANNING had an increased concentration on country club comings and goings, similar in a small way to THE SPORTING CLUB, but BANNING's glossy presentation, and emphasis on romance, was nothing like THE SPORTING CLUB's farcical, over the top narrative. One of the most curious, strange movies about a sporting club ever made, THE SPORTING CLUB is mainly of interest due to its vast differences from the small number of films on the subject before its release in 1971.

Overview: Larry Peerce is an American director of fifteen motion pictures, an all-rounder who has tackled different types of movies with generally above-average results. Mr Peerce's first film, ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO (1964) was a realistic study of a woman who divorces her husband, and marries an African-American man, her former husband suing for custody of their child, motivated by racism. The next of Mr Peerce's important films was THE INCIDENT (1967). A tightly-directed, tense account of two thugs terrorizing passengers on a New York subway train, it offered its diverse cast excellent acting opportunities. More prominent was GOODBYE, COLUMBUS (1969). The tale of a young man who falls for an upper-class young woman, with all their difficulties and obstacles presented to humorous, yet maximum effect, it was one of the most popular films of the year. A SEPARATE PEACE (1972) was the introspective story of two roommates at a private boarding school in 1940s New Hampshire, starring John Heyl, and Parker Stevenson in the lead roles. 

Entirely different in tone was ASH WEDNESDAY (1973). A woman embarks on plastic surgery to save her rocky marriage, but her choice leads to more than a few surprises along the way. Next came THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN (1975), one of Mr Peerce's most commercially-successful movies. A young skiing champion ends up paralyzed after a tragic accident, and finds her way back to another kind of normalcy for herself, and her family. Based upon the real-life story of skier Jill Kinmont, it was popular enough to lead to a sequel, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN (1978), also directed by Larry Peerce. Thoroughly contrasting, and violent in nature was TWO-MINUTE WARNING (1976). A crazed sniper causes mayhem at a football game, with much derring-do and heroics captured by the movie. At the end of the 1970s arrived THE BELL JAR (1979). Based upon Sylvia Plath's 1963 novel set in the 1950s, which focused upon a young woman's mental breakdown in New England, it was one of Larry Peerce's most artistic, serious movies.

Larry Peerce directed four movies in the 1980s, concentrating more on television after this era. WHY WOULD I LIE? (1980) was the character study of a self-deceiving, dishonest man who becomes a social worker. His involvement in the life of a young boy, though, leads to romance with the boy's mother. LOVE CHILD (1982) was based upon the real-life of Terry Jean Moore, a woman in trouble with the law who does time in jail. Falling pregnant to a prison guard, there is a struggle to keep the baby, in light of these extraordinary circumstances. Mr Peerce's penultimate movie was HARD TO HOLD (1984). A musical which was a vehicle for singer Rick Springfield, it was also a romance, with a pop star falling for a child psychologist, but finding opposition from his former flame. Larry Peerce's final film, WIRED (1989) delved again into real-life territory, this time the life of John Belushi, but with low box office returns, and mixed critical reaction. As Larry Peerce's fifth movie, THE SPORTING CLUB holds the distinction of being his most disappointing motion picture for a number of reasons.

When seeing Mr Peerce's films such as THE BELL JAR, THE INCIDENT, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN and its sequel, and GOODBYE, COLUMBUS, to name several examples, one is struck by their strong structure and presentation, and attention to narrative events and continuity. With THE SPORTING CLUB, unfortunately, this is not the case. The story of a shooting club, and its wayward members could have been much better than what transpired on screen, but what is presented is unsatisfactory. To be fair to the director and screenwriter, the source novel was one which would have remained better unfilmed, and something that could not be adapted in a proper manner. They may have tried to be as faithful to the book as possible, but this does not wash away the sentiment that the final result is a mishmash of details and execution. Many examples of this abound in THE SPORTING CLUB.

Scenes that seem promising at the outset go nowhere fast, plot points are introduced only to be discarded and rejected, without any regard for events moving from point a to point b. There is a feeling that all the running around by the characters may have been seen as amounting to comedy, but, it never gels. The sexual content, while slight, is also out of place, and not only absurd but also, tasteless. For example, the movie begins with a character in a compromising position, but one never finds out who she is, and why it occurred. The climactic orgy is similarly low on the appropriateness scale, emerging out of nowhere. For these reasons, THE SPORTING CLUB is an incredibly frustrating experience as a film to witness, as one of the only things it is adept at is not providing a satisfying, fluent time for the spectator. 

It is difficult to believe that a director such as Larry Peerce, and screenwriter Lorenzo Semple Jr., could have come up with such a hodgepodge of a film. It begs questions; maybe there was the view at the time that this might have been the next big thing, in light of its jitteriness and irreverence, but, it is a lamentable failure. Notable as one of the most convoluted films ever made, and not a high point on the filmographies of both its director and screenwriter, THE SPORTING CLUB is a movie which makes the viewer grateful for their other work, but also, shaking one's head at how such talented people could be involved in such a dire production in the first place.

Acting: THE SPORTING CLUB has several meaningful performances which are of note. In the lead role of mixed-up, sociopathic Vernur Stanton, Robert Fields contributes another striking acting portrayal to cinema. A dynamic actor who excels no matter the part or movie in which he appears, Mr Fields' Vernur is one of the film's strongest assets. As his friend James, Nicolas Coster does a good job, but the movie does not display his strength as a player. An actor who added zest to his work in film and, particularly, in soap opera Santa Barbara, here his intelligence has not been properly utilized. It does not wash that Vernur would push James around and get away with it, something which would not have occurred elsewhere. In contrast, William Roerick as Fortesque adds his inimitable persona to the movie. While his role is small, he makes an impact with his authority, and the charming way he trails off when delivering dialogue is always fun. The last acting of note was by Jack Warden as Earl, the sporting club gardener. As with Mr Roerick his appearance is too limited, but Mr Warden makes his presence felt in the dramatic, and especially, the comic sequences.

Soundtrack: THE SPORTING CLUB has a lean soundtrack with a minimum of music featured, but the tunes appropriately reflect what is taking place onscreen, in an ironic manner. The song 'For the Dear Old Flag I Die' is most notably showcased during the movie's opening credits sequence, after the explosion segment, and also, its closing credits. 'Great Balls of Fire' is played in the campfire scenes with Earl Olive and his entourage, an allegory for a number of outrageous sexual hijinks occurring alongside him.

Mise-en-scene: THE SPORTING CLUB has a very good grasp of mise-en-scene, with particular attention to the woodsy sporting club, which seems real, and the many outdoor segments set in the forest, and lakeside. The explosion of the sporting club is well-done, and effective as a set piece. For a film in such a frivolous vein, the colour is subdued, never garish, and easy on the eyes, a credit to cinematographer John Courtland.

Notable Acting Performances: Robert Fields, William Roerick, Jack Warden.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Male nudity, female nudity, adult themes, medium-level violence.

Overall Grade: E

Link: IMDB Page