Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam (1995)

A documentary crew from the BBC arrives in L.A. intent on interviewing Heidi Fleiss, a year after her arrest for running a brothel but before her trial. Several months elapse before the ... See full summary »

Director:

Nick Broomfield

Stars:

Nick Broomfield, Nina Xining Zuo, Madam Alex

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Nick Broomfield	...	Narrator
Nina Xining Zuo	...	Innocent actress
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Madam Alex	...	Self
Corinne Bohrer	...	Actor
Mike Brambles	...	Self
Cookie	...	Self (voice)
Elisa Fleiss	...	Self
Heidi Fleiss	...	Self
Jason Fleiss	...	Self
Jesse Fleiss	...	Self
Kim Fleiss	...	Self
Paul Fleiss	...	Self
Shannon Fleiss	...	Self
Gabby	...	Self
Daryl Gates	...	Self (Los Angeles Chief of Police)

Storyline

A documentary crew from the BBC arrives in L.A. intent on interviewing Heidi Fleiss, a year after her arrest for running a brothel but before her trial. Several months elapse before the interview, so the crew searches for anyone who'll talk about the young woman. Two people have a lot to say to the camera: a retired madam named Alex for whom Fleiss once worked and Fleiss's one-time boyfriend, Ivan Nagy, who introduced her to Alex. Alex and Nagy don't like each other, so the crew shuttles between them with "she said" and "he said." When they finally interview Fleiss, they spend their time reciting what Alex and Nagy have had to say and asking her reaction.

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Plot Keywords:

narration | prostitution | character name in title | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Quotes

Narrator: What about Cookie?
Tisa: No, no more. I'm not telling... nothing... I don't know. No thank you.
Narrator: No-one will talk about Cookie.
Tisa: I don't want to... I don't know anything about Cookie.
Narrator: Nothing about Cookie?
Tisa: Nothing about Cookie. Nothing at all. Oh, no. Even if I did... Chocolate chip? Vanilla? Peanut butter?
Narrator: I didn't know whether Cookie worked for Nagy, or for Heidi.
Tisa: I have no idea. I have no idea. You will get nothing, nothing. Absolutely. Especially... jeopardizing my life here.
Narrator: Could it really jeopardize ...
[...]

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Connections

References Lolita (1962)

User Reviews

The whole industry runs on whores!

Nick Broomfield often pokes his camera in places many would rather he not venture. The liars, and occasionally, people telling the truth, in his films are like those pilots having dogfights in old war movies. Who will shoot down who first?

My summary refers to the entertainment industry that always has and always will have an arm which reaches out for prostitutes' services. In the old days, rich men could buy sex and expect a certain discretion came along with the carnal for hire agreements. Now, any woman who claims she was Eldrick Woods' mistress or a hooker he dallied with is thrust into the spotlight by a tabloid juggernaut that needs constant angles on the latest scandal. Whether or not there is a scintilla of truth doesn't really stop the steamroller from flattening ethics in journalism to a ridiculous non standard of rumour and outright fabrication. Where are you when we need you, Walter Cronkite?

Broomfield interviews many here and most of them have their hand out, wanting money to speak. Heidi comes across as the most likable person you could meet in this sleazy crowd. The ultimate scum is her former boyfriend, Ivan, who delights in proving how he can manipulate her anytime he wants. If anyone should have gone to jail, it really should have been this obnoxious fool.

Prostitution is here to stay. Decriminalizing it and making sure the health of both workers and their clients are sound is much more important than some "crimes" which have been foolishly prosecuted by overzealous DAs and harshly sentenced in the US. The persecution of sex workers of legal age and other felonies, like non violent marijuana offences, are clogging up the courts and jails/prisons. Throw the book at those who force underage boys and girls into selling themselves and those who commit rape on the internet. Let the Heidis of the world peddle sex and their customers buy it. And pay taxes too!

Details

Official Sites:

Nick Broomfield

Country:

UK Germany USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 February 1996 (USA)

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,321, 11 February 1996

Gross USA:

$34,402

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$34,402

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Cinemax Reel Life

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3