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 | movie reality crossover | hollywood | actress | changing times | 

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Taglines:

This is Boy Wonder in 1930. He was one of the great directors in Hollywood. He directed sweeping epics and brilliant comedies. Now he's making pornos. But they're brilliant pornos.

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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

Actor Richard Dreyfuss was the only one of the film's five actors that never appeared nude in the movie.

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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

Boy Wonder: Nothing simple, Miss Cake, is ever pure.

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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

Although the print submitted was the longer version the original UK cinema release was cut by the BBFC to edit the pre-credits sequence and some footage from the sex scene between Harlene and Rex. The 1987 Warner video was uncut.

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Connections

Referenced in 42nd Street Forever, Volume 5: The Alamo Drafthouse Edition (2009)

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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

Undiscovered gem of drama & cinema

This films plot centers around the making of, probably one of the first, porn movies, Sadly when it was released it was pre-arthouse cinemas and pre-video, so it was lumped in with second rate soft porn flic houses around soho London. Consequently it died a lonely death. Around this time Art house cinemas were starting to emerge in University towns which is how I caught it late night in Edinburgh. I was just knocked out by it's sharp drama wrapped in a comedy that launched incredibly incisive comment. Bob Hoskins character as the wannabee hood getting irate when he discovers that Richard Dreyfuss's character, the has-been director, has removed the camera from the tripod, in shear enthusiasm, as he filmed the sexual act. 'How is that going to look!' 'It's not going to look, it's going to be looked at!' retorts Richard Dreyfuss character. The economy of the lines are brilliant! Yes this is a one room drama, which is a tall order for cinema and few have conquered it but this film does brilliantly.