The Playbirds (1978)

Two detectives are drawn into the world of porn, while investigating murders of centrefolds...

Director:

Willy Roe

Writers:

George Evans (screenplay) (as Bud Tobin), Willy Roe (screenplay) (as Robin O'Connor)

Stars:

Mary Millington, Glynn Edwards, Gavin Campbell

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mary Millington	...	Sgt. Lucy Sheridan
Glynn Edwards	...	Chief Superintendent Holbourne
Gavin Campbell	...	Inspector Harry Morgan
Alan Lake	...	Harry Dougan
Windsor Davies	...	Assistant Police Commissioner
Derren Nesbitt	...	Jeremy
Kenny Lynch	...	Police Doctor
Suzy Mandel	...	Lena
Ballard Berkeley	...	Trainer
Sandra Dorne	...	Dougan's Secretary
Alec Mango	...	Ransome
Penny Spencer	...	W.P.C. Andrews
Michael Gradwell	...	Terry Day
Tony Kenyon	...	Dolby
Ron Flangan	...	Wilson (as Ron Flanagan)

Storyline

Two detectives are drawn into the world of porn, while investigating murders of centrefolds...

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Plot Keywords:

burned at the stake | dead woman in a bathtub | murder of a nude woman | strangling a police officer | murder | 

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Taglines:

Mary Millington joins the blue squad...and blows her cover!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1978 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Playbird Murders

Filming Locations:

Alexandra Court, Maida Vale, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Roldvale

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After being hurled into the swimming pool near the end of the movie by Alan Lake, Diane Foster was taken to hospital, having hit the bottom of the shallow end. The cast seen diving in were attempting a genuine rescue and was not scripted. The ambulance arriving when the scene cut to outside the house was real and was left in the movie. This was documented in a News of the World feature later.

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Goofs

During the meeting at Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park, a lot of the passers by are looking straight into the camera. Some of them actively try to get on camera, while others are startled and turn away.

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Connections

Referenced in En kärleks sommar (1979)

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Soundtracks

Playbirds
By Johnny Worth (as John Worth) & David Whitaker
Sung by Johnny Worth (as John Worth)

User Reviews

Play this one

I really think this film has really taken a bum rap. It's sad to think, two of the main actors actually committed suicide, one shortly after this. I loved the saucy and cheeky nudity, full frontage, in a film that barely ceased to exist as a Roadshow title. As a thriller it really works. Some nutter is murdering sexy bare bodied girls who feature in the nudie magazine, Playgirl, where each month brings a cover girl victim, so it's not long before authorities figure the pattern, only this psycho is really clever, his method of kill- inflicting strangulation, bringing among suspects, one, a young photographer, with a bit of a dirty S and M record who does nudie sessions with models, one involving a rocking horse, you will never forget. So they send in a undercover cop posing as a budding model, where now things get quite risky. There are some terrifying edge of seat moments, if watching on a first view. I really like how Londoners make these B grades, whether psychological and sexual thrillers, or just saucy sex films, and The Playgirl Murders is quite tightly plotted. How's this? The chief detective who him and his partner work the murders, loves to have a bit of a gamble, where too another suspect, likes betting the horses too. This chief detective who used to play Frank Spencer's warring neighbor in Some Mother's Do Ave Em' would rather do this, than work a murder scene. The undercover cop audition was funny and sexy, and TPM really has it's moments. I really like this film a lot. Pity no one really agrees with me on this one. Jazzy soundtrack.