Entertaining Mr Sloane
1969
The weird story of a brother and sister who take in a lodger and by blackmail persuade him to make up a strange 'menage a trois' in which he becomes a prisoner of desire, proving love is a many gendered thing. Read more
| Starring | Beryl Reid, Harry Andrews, Peter McEnery, Alan Webb |
|---|---|
| Director | Douglas Hickox |
| Genres | Drama |
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Entertaining Mr Sloane
The weird story of a brother and sister who take in a lodger and by blackmail persuade him to make up a strange 'menage a trois' in which he becomes a prisoner of desire, proving love is a many gendered thing.
| Starring | Beryl Reid, Harry Andrews, Peter McEnery, Alan Webb |
|---|---|
| Director | Douglas Hickox |
| Studio | CINEMA CLUB |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 30 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 20 Jun 2005 Production year: 1969 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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The quintessential black comedy from Joe Orton, in which a brother and sister vie for the sexual favours of a muscle-bound stud, is brought to the screen with some panache by director Douglas Hickox. Clive Exton's semi-faithful script attempts to widen the play's rather enclosed feel, but Orton is essentially a playwright who belongs on a small stage with one chintz sofa. The cast is superb, particularly Beryl Reid,as ageing blonde Kath, and Harry Andrews as her homosexual sibling.
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Joe Orton's four-hander about a sister and brother (nympho and queer respectively) vying for the favours of a desirable... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
not for the easily offended!
Joe Orton was always a controversial figure, and this film was made 2 years after his violent death at the hands of his lover of 10 years. It is typical Orton - looking at the seediness and repressed sexuality of 'ordinary' English people.
Reid and Andrews are a brother and sister who both take a fancy to a young man that Reid's character meets in a cemetery. It is clear from the start to us that 'Mr Sloane' is a liar and a murderer, but the brother and sister find him so irresistable that they are prepared to ignore any warning signs and he stays with the sister and the 'Dadda', with the brother making frequent visits in his pink Cadillac. The brother is 'on a promise', but the sister and Mr Sloane are having sex from day one, and Mr Sloane is free to make the Dadda's life miserable and fearful.
This is a period piece in many ways - English culture has moved on a good deal, so you need to like the period (made in 1970). Reid and Andrews are great - I would have thought that the overt nature of the male to male sexuality would have made this quite a challenging role for a heterosexual male actor at the time, and both Andrews and McEnery appear to be entirely comfortable in the scenes where the sexual nature of the relationship is played out (nothing explicit), so it is unusual in that respect. There is no ghastly campness so typical of the period (Orton disliked camp a good deal).
You will hate this film if you want sympathetic and attractive characters, there are none. You would not want to know any of these people, or be near their world. It is fascinating as an outsider view of how wierd some people are! -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Pretty Entertaining
I rented this film because I'd recently seen the revival of the Joe Orton play at The Trafalgar Studio which starred Matthew Horne and Imelda Staunton and wanted to compare. The role of the sex starved landlady is taken by Beryl Reid .At the time the film was made she would have been the most appropriate actress to play this part and I think that she acquits herself well. Peter Mc Enery also manages to convince as the feckless Mr. Sloane who employs his bisexual appeal to gull both landlady and her repressed homosexual brother until he gets his comeuppance. The script by Clive Exton abridges the original play for obvious reasons but retains all of the great set pieces and memorable lines. The film has a 60' s feel to it but then so does the play. A worthy effort with good performances by all involved.
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The weird story of a brother and sister who take in a lodger and by blackmail persuade him to make up a strange 'menage a trois' in which he becomes a prisoner of desire, proving love is a many ... -