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	...	Lucy
Glynn Edwards	...	Holbourne
Gavin Campbell	...	'Inspector Harry Morgan' / Morgan
Alan Lake	...	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 (as Michael-John Gradwell/Michael Gradwell)
Tony Kenyon	...	Dolby
Ronald Flanagan	...	Wilson (as Ron Flanagan)

Storyline

In order to unmask a pathological killer who is targeting the beautiful centerfolds of Playbirds magazine, a sexy policewoman Lucy Sheridan puts her life and reputation on the line by sleeping with millionaire publisher Harry Dougan. The Chief Superintendant and Police Commissioner are keeping a close eye on her, but time is running out fast.

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Plot Keywords:

dead woman in a bathtub | murder of a nude woman | murder | female rear nudity | topless female nudity | 

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Taglines:

A murder thriller with thrilling bodies!

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Opening credits: All characters and situations in this film are entirely fictitious, and any similarity to any person is purely coincidental.

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Goofs

During Lucy Sheridan's striptease sequence, her knickers change from black to white to black again.

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Connections

Featured in Doing Rude Things (1995)

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Soundtracks

Title song
Playbirds"
by Johnny Worth (as John Worth) & David Whitaker
Sung by Johnny Worth (as John Worth)

User Reviews

Curse of the Centrefold

Well, it's one way to build circulation for your porn mag - make an X-rated thriller about it, as David Sullivan did, even hinting that the pornographer in the story could be trying to keep his own magazine (also conveniently called 'Playbirds') in the public eye by arranging for each centrefold model to be brutally murdered, just as the publication hits the street.

We can't name the killer, of course, but we can tell you that the suspects make a colourful line-up, providing an excuse for some varied location scenes, ranging from Speakers' Corner through Newmarket racecourse to a forest where some rather extreme witchcraft rituals look like getting out of hand...

Funniest is the moment when the baffled detectives think it's time to send in an undercover female cop to charm the publisher into giving her a centrefold, so they have to start by holding auditions at Scotland Yard. Mary Millington carries no conviction whatever as a police officer, but she certainly makes one heck of a stripper, and should have exploited the surprisingly common policewoman fetish with plenty of slow peeling-off of the dark blue livery of the law.

Nobody could watch this film without noting the sad irony that two of the young stars committed suicide soon after: first Millington herself, swamped by drugs and tax-bills, and then the alcoholic Alan Lake, unable to cope with the premature death of his wife Diana Dors. This reflects a haunting theme, the mystic link between mating and death - the porn-stars we're conditioned to envy in their little plastic heaven, with every carnal satisfaction laid-on like a tray of snacks, yet forever tainted by elements of the cynical and the criminal. Reminding us in the end that this branch of entertainment promises everything but delivers nothing.

The Playbirds is not as predictable or monotonous as other low-budget soft-porn features, thanks to a number of mainstream actors like Windsor Davies, Gavin Campbell and Dudley Sutton. There are some good dramatic situations too, but they don't really gel, and the scripting and directing by Willie Roe is disappointing.

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:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1