The Sex Therapist (1973)
"Alvin Purple" (original title)

Director:

Tim Burstall

Writer:

Alan Hopgood

Stars:

Graeme Blundell, Abigail, Lynette Curran

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Graeme Blundell	...	Alvin Purple
Abigail	...	Girl in See-Through
Lynette Curran	...	First Sugar Girl
Christine Amor	...	Peggy
Dina Mann	...	Shirley
Dennis Miller	...	Mr. Horwood
Jill Forster	...	Mrs. Horwood
Frederick Parslow	...	Alvin's Father
Valerie Blake	...	Alvin's Mother
Alan Finney	...	Spike Dooley
Gary Down	...	Roger Hattam
Christine McClure	...	Tina (as Elli Maclure)
Peter Aanensen	...	Ed Cameron
Jenny Hagen	...	Agnes Jackson
Kris McQuade	...	Samantha

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

lust | skydiving | bag of sugar | waterbed | catfight | 

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Taglines:

Australia's first big (R) comedy

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Sex Therapist

Filming Locations:

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bi-Jay, Hexagon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Australia's most successful film release between 1971 and 1977.

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Connections

Referenced in Looking back at Hoodwink (2006)

User Reviews

A classic tale of sex and alienation

A tremendous film that is an excellent example of the Ocker films that characterized Australian cinema in the early 70s. Alvin Purple is not a good looking man, in fact you could say that he is pretty ugly. Nor is he funny or a man of great character in any sense. But somehow, for reasons unknown, he is irresistible to women. He attracts women wherever he goes: on the bus, in the park, even just walking down the street.

The film contains a significant amount of sex and could be classified as a soft porn movie, but the sex is not for erotic purposes, but for comedic purpose as the audience cannot stop laughing as this awkward man who seems to know nothing about women has sex more times in a week than most people do in a lifetime.

But there is more to the movie than just comedic sex, the film is also a character piece as it shows the alienation that Alvin feels as he struggles to make his way through life. The multitude of sex that Alvin engages in contrasts his life of total isolation, as he tries to find someone that he can truly connect with.

This film is truly an original and a must for students of film. Australian Cinema has an amazing history and the Ocker Films and Alvin Purple are an instrumental part of it.