Crimes of Passion (1984)

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Directed by Ken Russell.

Starring Bruce Davison, John Laughlin, Annie Potts, Kathleen Turner, Anthony Perkins.

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Joanna Crane (Kathleen Turner) is a cold, workaholic sportswear designer, divorced and dedicated only to her job. Once strapped into that role, Joanna looks for an "out" and finds it by donning a wig and hitting the pavement as a $50/trick hooker named China Blue. Explicit scenes show her at work on her night job, including a long S and M segment with a policeman. While making money as China Blue, Joanna runs into a menacing, fanatic preacher (Anthony Perkins) who is out to save her from this life of sin, but in the meantime, he is also busy watching nude girly shows. As China Blue and the sexually ambivalent Reverend heat up their relationship, he becomes difficult to read: is this psycho reverend a killer? While China Blue is plying her trade, Bobby Grady (John Laughlin) has finally realized after 12 years of marriage that his wife Amy (Annie Potts) is frigid and just as he has this remarkably delayed insight, he is assigned by Joanna's boss to find out if she is stealing designs or not. By tracking Joanna, Bobby sees her transformation as China Blue and as might be expected, sex is not far behind. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Bang! "Ya got me pal!" ...
by jlgdrd in Wicked Fun

hasn't rated it.

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"Years ago, a local film critic (living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex) dismissed Crimes of Passion by saying, “Why doesn’t Ken Russell just go back to England?” as if this were a legitimate, professional reaction to any film. You just couldn’t help the feeling that she didn’t get it. “It” not being the film itself. It was awful but I don’t think it’s ever okay to pan a film because one’s sensibilities are offended. Or ravaged. Ironically I find myself in a similar situation after viewing Spike and Mike’s Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation. Call it Karmic Justice. I repeatedly wondered if I’d viewed this collection, say, 25 years ago, if I’d have been rolling in the proverbial aisles. Though I’d like to think I’m smarter today. From The Grand Guignol Theatre of 19th Century Paris, to Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive to the Mr. Creosote sketch in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, ... " [More]

Klute
by honeysuckle in honeysuckle Blog

hasn't rated it.

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"Watched Klute last night. I'm a bigger fan of Donald Sutherland than I am of Jane Fonda, but she was terrific in this movie. This film had a very crisp, clean look, considering the subject matter. Started thinking about the fascination cinema has had with prostitutes.Child prostitutes in Pretty Baby and Taxi Driver.Male prostitutes in American Gigolo and My Own Private Idaho.Offbeat movies: Whore, Crimes of Passion.Mainstream: Pretty Woman.Others: Leaving Las Vegas, Blonde Venus, A Streetcar Named Desire What's the fascination? " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

lost interest.

The prime example of Ken Russell's proclivity for examining bizarre sexual underworlds, Crimes of Passion fails to generate resonance from its sensationalist subject matter, more concerned with taboo than insight. Anthony Perkins' porno priest, who quotes Bible passages moments after emerging from a peep show (and that's his least ripe offense), is the epitome of Russell's cartoonish, overstated approach. Kathleen Turner provides some balance to Perkins' scenery chewing, enough for the Los Angeles Film Critics' Association to have honored her as Best Actress, but she fights a losing battle with Russell's aggressive desire to shock. The film is so grisly and fixed in its perverted milieu that the daytime scenes feel like they might have been spliced from another movie. As a result, the B-story about the unraveling marriage doesn't work. Still, Russell has earned kudos for his unwillingness to soften his agenda, and Crimes of Passion wins some respect solely on the basis of this audacity. Ever eager to remove any glamour from the world of prostitution, Russell again explored the underbelly of the world's oldest trade in Whore (1991), which left viewers and critics cold for similar reasons. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide

Tags: anxiety , prostituteprostitution , dance-art , doublelife , executive
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