Inserts (1975)

A young, once-great Hollywood film director refuses to accept changing times during the early 1930s, and confines 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...

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Plot Keywords:

cigar smoking | hollywood | actress | changing times | mansion | 

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Taglines:

A degenerate film with dignity.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated NC-17 for explicit sexuality

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 February 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ciecia

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:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The name of the "Harlene" character (portrayed by Veronica Cartwright) can be considered a conflation of two movie star names: the second "Harlow" name of Jean Harlow (her real first name was in fact Harlene) and the first "Marlene" name of Marlene Dietrich. These two actresses were two big Hollywood stars and sex-symbols of the 1930s era when the movie was set. Incidentally, there was a B-movie actress active in the mid-late 1930s named Harley Wood who also went by Harlene Wood.

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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).

NOTE: "Moonglow" is not explicitly referenced as such, and is virtually identical to 1929's "Sweeter Than Sweet", so this may not be a goof.

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Quotes

Rex, the Wonder Dog: [referring to breasts] Stick the Hershey kisses back in the wrapper, will ya, sweetheart.

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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.

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Alternate Versions

The UK theatrical release and the US video version are the complete 117 minute film (even though some of the video boxes erroneously list the shorter time.) The US theatrical release was significantly shorter (but not censored: nudity was still intact)

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Connections

Featured in Playboy: The Story of X (1998)

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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

Ahead of its time, this small gem deserves tape release

This unusual and imaginative tale is well-acted, funny, and a credit to Dreyfuss, Harper (Phantom of the Paradise), and Hoskins (The Long Good Friday). The comments of others will give you a sense of the plot line; the sad thing is that you may never see this small gem, which richly deserves to be released on tape. I certainly regret not being able to see it again.