Inserts (1974)

A young, once-great Hollywood film director refuses to accept changing times during the early 1930s, and confides himself to his decaying mansion to make silent porn flicks.

Director:

John Byrum

Writer:

John Byrum

Stars:

Richard Dreyfuss, Jessica Harper, Bob Hoskins

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Boy Wonder
Jessica Harper	...	Cathy Cake
Bob Hoskins	...	Big Mac
Veronica Cartwright	...	Harlene
Stephen Davies	...	Rex, the Wonder Dog

Storyline

A once-great silent film director, unable to make the transition to the new talkies, lives as a near-hermit in his Hollywood home, making cheap, silent sex films, and suffering in the knowledge of his sexual impotence, and apathetic about the plans to demolish his home to make way for a motorway. His producer and his producer's girlfriend come by to see how he is doing (and to supply heroin to the actress as her payment). The girlfriend stays to watch them filming, and is deeply impressed by his methods. When the actress goes to the bathroom, and dies there of an overdose, the girlfriend takes her place in the film. Then the producer returns...

---

Plot Keywords:

actress | director | impotence | sex | 1930s | 

---

Taglines:

A degenerate film with dignity.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated NC-17 for explicit sexuality

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 February 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Erotiko gros plan

Filming Locations:

Lee International Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film and General Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min 99 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Sitting at piano, Boy Wonder plays song Moonglow, written in 1934. The movie takes place at least three or four years earlier (characters repeatedly talk about a then-unknown actor named Clark Gable, already a big star by time song was written).

---

Quotes

Boy Wonder: The day Wally Reid died, I was having lunch with Griffith, Gish and Hayes. Somebody came in and told us what happened, and Gish started crying, right away. She said, "Poor Wally. Poor Wally. What am I going to do now?" Had to leave the table, she was crying so hard. Old Will Hays, of course, got up to go after her. She used to bring that out in people. And as he left, he turned to us and he shot this out like spit, and he said, "Good riddance. Good riddance to bad rubbish." After they were gone...

---

Crazy Credits

The end credits are shown in black-and-white, against a backdrop of a silk cloth. It is also grainier and scratched in spots compared to the rest of the film. It is very reminiscent of the credits of vintage 30's melodramas.

---

Connections

Featured in Playboy: The Story of X (1998)

---

Soundtracks

"Moonglow"
Written by Will Hudson, Edgar De Lange and Irving Mills
Played by Joe Venuti and his orchestra
recording courtesy of RCA records

User Reviews

"Off color, Risky, Edgy, Masterpiece. Bound to be a Classic"

I am please others have found this little unknown film, to be the treasure it is....I thought I was the only one who likes this film.

True story I hear. So there I am at the salad bar at the Hollywood Sizzler, and who is next to me, but Richard Dreyfuss, hiding under a baseball cap.

I had to write him a note, before this rare opportunity slipped away. "Dear Mr. Dreyfuss, your performance in "Inserts" was worth an Oscar. You were brilliant. The whole cast was perfect. I loved the "Cuban Gothic" house. Thank you for taking such a professional risk. Bravo." Signed: An Admirer Paid a waitress $5 to take it over to him. He was with his wife and kids, with his back to the room. I then slipped out after he opened the folded note and read my words. Read what others who love film have written about this underground classic yet to be discovered? The whole cast went on to become big movie stars after making this little masterpiece. Bravo to the writer, cast and crew.