Personal Services
Encyclopedia
Personal Services is a 1987
British
comedy film
directed by Terry Jones
and written by David Leland
. It is the story of the rise of a madam of a suburban brothel
which caters to older men. The story is inspired by the real experiences of Cynthia Payne
, the legendary "House of Cyn" madam. The film was banned in the Republic of Ireland
upon theatrical release. At the time, there were four films that were banned in Ireland, and Terry Jones had directed three of them (Personal Services, Monty Python's Life of Brian
, and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life).
The film stars Julie Walters
as "Christine Painter", a thinly disguised Cynthia Payne
, who begins the film as a sexually naive waitress and single-mother who pays for her teenage son's tuition by renting flats to local tarts.
She later becomes a call girl herself (joining her friend Shirley and their "maid" Dolly) and specializes in fetish/kink roleplay with older gentlemen. With her new family of friends and admirers, she becomes a huge sensation leading to wealth and infamy in the tabloids. The brothel business also brings out Christine's self-confidence, and leads to repairing a previously strained relationship with her father.
Christine: "It's just like a Tupperware party, really. But I sell sex instead of plastic containers. If the wives were willing, I'd be out of a job, wouldn't I? But they go off sex - they'd rather sell Tupperware, ha-bloody-ha. Sex soon goes out of a marriage. I'm a bit old-fashioned, really - I believe in marriage. Men are animals, sexually. They don't talk a *bit* of sense till you've got them de-spunked. Women are more affectionate. They like a bit of affection. Though I've met a few horny buggers in my time. The wife wants a three-piece-suite. If she gave the man sex, he might be more inclined to come across with the three-piece-suite. It may not be a fashionable thing to say, but once you've got him de-spunked, and he's sitting there thinking he's all wonderful - done you a good turn, given you a pair of soggy knickers - in the afterglow of his glory he's more inclined to come across with the Draylon three-piece, don't you think?"
Shirley: "This one wants golden rain."
Christine: "Does he now?!! Let me at him! (What's golden rain?)"
Shirley: "He wants you to piddle on him."
Christine: "What? I can't do that?"
Shirley: "You have to. You've promised him now."
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Terry Jones
Terry Jones
Terence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
and written by David Leland
David Leland
David Leland is a director, screenwriter and actor who came to international fame with his directorial debut Wish You Were Here in 1987.-Life:...
. It is the story of the rise of a madam of a suburban brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
which caters to older men. The story is inspired by the real experiences of Cynthia Payne
Cynthia Payne
Cynthia Payne is a retired English party hostess who made the headlines in the 1970s and 1980s when she was accused of being a madam and of running her brothel at 32 Ambleside Avenue, in Streatham, in the south-west of London, England.Payne first came to national attention in 1978 when police...
, the legendary "House of Cyn" madam. The film was banned in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
upon theatrical release. At the time, there were four films that were banned in Ireland, and Terry Jones had directed three of them (Personal Services, Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Monty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film written, directed and largely performed by the Monty Python comedy team...
, and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life).
The film stars Julie Walters
Julie Walters
Julie Walters, CBE is an English actress and novelist. She came to international prominence in 1983 for Educating Rita, performing in the title role opposite Michael Caine. It was a role she had created on the West End stage and it won her BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for Best Actress...
as "Christine Painter", a thinly disguised Cynthia Payne
Cynthia Payne
Cynthia Payne is a retired English party hostess who made the headlines in the 1970s and 1980s when she was accused of being a madam and of running her brothel at 32 Ambleside Avenue, in Streatham, in the south-west of London, England.Payne first came to national attention in 1978 when police...
, who begins the film as a sexually naive waitress and single-mother who pays for her teenage son's tuition by renting flats to local tarts.
She later becomes a call girl herself (joining her friend Shirley and their "maid" Dolly) and specializes in fetish/kink roleplay with older gentlemen. With her new family of friends and admirers, she becomes a huge sensation leading to wealth and infamy in the tabloids. The brothel business also brings out Christine's self-confidence, and leads to repairing a previously strained relationship with her father.
Cast
- Julie WaltersJulie WaltersJulie Walters, CBE is an English actress and novelist. She came to international prominence in 1983 for Educating Rita, performing in the title role opposite Michael Caine. It was a role she had created on the West End stage and it won her BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for Best Actress...
as Christine Painter - Shirley StelfoxShirley StelfoxShirley Stelfox is an English actress, who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She is best known as Edna Birch in British Soap Opera Emmerdale....
as Shirley - Alec McCowenAlec McCowenAlexander Duncan "Alec" McCowen CBE is an English actor. He is known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. He was awarded the CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours List.-Personal:...
as Wing Commander Morten - Danny Schiller as Dolly
- Tim WoodwardTim Woodward-Biography:Woodward was born in London, England, the son of actors Edward Woodward and Venetia Mary Barrett.He is probably best known for his roles in the 1970s BBC drama Wings, the 1990s ITV soap opera Families and the 2000s ITV police drama Murder City...
as Timms - Victoria Hardcastle as Rose
- Dave AtkinsDave Atkins (actor)Dave Atkins was an English actor mostly known for portraying Sharkey in Britannia Hospital, Moving Man #1 in Clive Barker's Hellraiser in 1987, and pub landlord Les in Men Behaving Badly....
as Sydney - Ewan HooperEwan HooperEwan Hooper is a Scottish actor who is a graduate from, and now an Associate Member of, RADA. Hooper was the motivating force in the foundation of the Greenwich Theatre, which opened in 1969. Hooper was the founder director of the Scottish Theatre Company formed in Glasgow in the 1980s...
as Edward - Alan Bowyer as David Painter
- Antony Carrick as Edgar
- Beverley Foster as Elizabeth
- Leon LissekLeon LissekLeon Lissek is an actor originated from Australia who primarily does work in England. He has appeared in over 80 films in his career, which started with Marat/Sade...
as Mr. Popozogolou - Peter CellierPeter CellierPeter Cellier is an English actor who has appeared in film, stage and television. He is perhaps best known for his role as Sir Frank Gordon in Yes Minister and then Yes, Prime Minister in the 1980s.-Biography:...
as Mr. Marples - Benjamin WhitrowBenjamin WhitrowBenjamin "Ben" Whitrow is a British actor. He attended the Dragon School, Tonbridge School, and RADA. Whitrow was also part of the King's Dragoon Guards from 1956 to 1958. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1981...
as Mr. Marsden - Stephen LewisStephen Lewis (actor)Stephen Lewis is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Inspector Cyril "Blakey" Blake in the LWT Sitcom On the Buses, Clem "Smiler" Hemmingway in the longest running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine and Harry Lambert in BBC Television's Oh, Doctor Beeching!.-Career:Lewis began his...
as Mr. Dunkley
Memorable Lines
Christine: "You can't expect the men to be responsible. When the balls are full, the brain is empty."Christine: "It's just like a Tupperware party, really. But I sell sex instead of plastic containers. If the wives were willing, I'd be out of a job, wouldn't I? But they go off sex - they'd rather sell Tupperware, ha-bloody-ha. Sex soon goes out of a marriage. I'm a bit old-fashioned, really - I believe in marriage. Men are animals, sexually. They don't talk a *bit* of sense till you've got them de-spunked. Women are more affectionate. They like a bit of affection. Though I've met a few horny buggers in my time. The wife wants a three-piece-suite. If she gave the man sex, he might be more inclined to come across with the three-piece-suite. It may not be a fashionable thing to say, but once you've got him de-spunked, and he's sitting there thinking he's all wonderful - done you a good turn, given you a pair of soggy knickers - in the afterglow of his glory he's more inclined to come across with the Draylon three-piece, don't you think?"
Shirley: "This one wants golden rain."
Christine: "Does he now?!! Let me at him! (What's golden rain?)"
Shirley: "He wants you to piddle on him."
Christine: "What? I can't do that?"
Shirley: "You have to. You've promised him now."