In 1974, moviegoers packed cinemas to watch a Dino De Laurentiis actioner called 'Death Wish,' which had unexpected resonance in America's cities. Building on trends set by the 1971 police film 'Dirty Harry,' this Charles Bronson vehicle asked major questions about how society should fight crime. Through the decade's remaining years, a torrent of similar films were released including 'Lipstick,' a 1976 De Laurentiis project that has been called Death Wish's female offshoot.
While not a vigilante drama per se, 'Lipstick' certainly belongs on the menu of films whose characters are violated and rendered helpless. At the time of its release, 'Lipstick' easily brought comparisons to 'Death Wish,' which did no favors to the movie's reputation; critics such as Roger Ebert have trashed it, placing it on a level with 'Ms. .45' and William Lustig's 'Vigilante.' It has been viewed as another knockoff that exploits a serious subject and the performances of its lead cast have been panned. I, however, need to differ on these views; 'Lipstick' is no masterwork and clings to the sensationalism of its time, but it can still be a relevant piece of film-making.
Margaux Hemingway, the first model in world history to a sign a million-dollar contract, plays her debut film role as Chris McCormick, a (guess what?) Los Angeles model who is looking after her young sister Kathy (played by real-life sister Mariel). While shooting photos for a lipstick campaign, Chris is introduced to Gordon Stuart (Chris Sarandon), a grammar school music teacher and composer to whom Kathy has taken an innocent shine. Chris naively invites Stuart to their apartment the following afternoon and begins to sense that all is not well with him mentally; besides shifty behavior, his electronically-generated music sounds fresh out of a demented video game. During playback, Chris's phone rings with a male acquaintance and Stuart becomes enraged by her beauty and attractiveness to other men. Chris is groped, beaten, and sexually tortured while fastened with scarves to her bed.
Stuart is arrested and put on trial, but the 'justice' system makes things worse for Chris rather than better. She is under constant scrutiny from the press, is forced to relive the experience again while on the stand, and must use her sister Kathy, who walked in after the rape, as a witness. It is only assistant district attorney Carla Bondi (Anne Bancroft), a forceful woman, who supplies her with the hope of a conviction. Instead, Stuart gets off scot-free after Chris is portrayed as a woman who enjoys 'flaunting' her body and engaging in sadomasochism.
Because of the violent finale in which Chris seeks revenge, 'Lipstick' has drawn comparisons with 'Death Wish' even though it deals far more with the troubles of a woman who is physically harmed; in 'Death Wish,' Paul Kersey is a male victim through indirect, albeit close, circumstances. 'Lipstick' has also been condemned as exploitation, but that is perhaps only true in the film's second half when David Rayfiel's script begins to fall apart. The initial rape scene is filthy and uses explicit angles of Chris's body, but it shows the depraved act for what it is and how it can reduce a vibrant woman into the object of a man's perversions. 'Lipstick' also does well (at least from a male's perspective) to depict the bitterness and rage such a victim must feel.
Unfortunately, 'Lipstick' caves into sensationalism as things progress. An odd thing happens in the later trial scenes, when Kathy is again called to the stand; defense attorney Nathan Cartright (Robin Gammell) instills reasonable doubt in the jury by showing that Kathy was not distressed from seeing Chris and Gordon in bed. Moments later, the jury returns a 'not guilty' verdict. While this is highly possible, Rayfiel's script and Lamont Johnson's direction fail to make it convincing; the movie is fairing superbly until this point.
Plot conveniences really take over, such as Chris allowing Kathy to walk around an empty office complex that is somehow visited that day by Gordon Stuart(!) The film ends with Carla Bondi 'leaving' the district attorney's office(!) to defend Chris after she shoots Gordon dead with a hunting rifle. The lackluster writing is a shame, because 'Lipstick' is a film with enduring impact. Even now, women in America are treated horrendously and only a small percentage of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement; there is also a swarm of people who believe that certain women are 'asking for it' when carrying an openness to their sexuality, as if their saying 'no' becomes any less valid.
Considering that both were in their debut, Margaux and Mariel Hemingway are excellent in this film. Margaux has been slammed for an over-the-top performance, but it was clearly a role that she worked hard to portray. Of course, she was ideally suited to play a model on film; she was tall, stunningly beautiful, and of a pleasant demeanor. Mariel also shows an easy-going personality and knew - even then - how to perform with subtlety. The supporting cast is fairly good, although Chris Sarandon and Anne Bancroft have their moments of chewing up the set. Aside from its heavy subject matter, 'Lipstick' is quite a beginning for two sisters - one who grew into a star and the other who left us far too soon.
'Lipstick' is currently on DVD with minimal treatment from Paramount. The film is in widescreen with Dolby-enhanced mono, optional French dubbing, and optional English subtitles; there are no extras, not even the theatrical trailer. 'Lipstick' is grainy as hell with occasional artifacts, but the print quality is just enough to sense a gloss from its original showing. The disco soundtrack of Michel Polnareff comes across smoothly and the overall audio quality is decent. 'Lipstick' is mostly an afterthought in the broad picture of cinema, but has kept much of its dramatic value intact.
** out of 4
Roving Reviewer - www.geocities.com/paul_johnr
While not a vigilante drama per se, 'Lipstick' certainly belongs on the menu of films whose characters are violated and rendered helpless. At the time of its release, 'Lipstick' easily brought comparisons to 'Death Wish,' which did no favors to the movie's reputation; critics such as Roger Ebert have trashed it, placing it on a level with 'Ms. .45' and William Lustig's 'Vigilante.' It has been viewed as another knockoff that exploits a serious subject and the performances of its lead cast have been panned. I, however, need to differ on these views; 'Lipstick' is no masterwork and clings to the sensationalism of its time, but it can still be a relevant piece of film-making.
Margaux Hemingway, the first model in world history to a sign a million-dollar contract, plays her debut film role as Chris McCormick, a (guess what?) Los Angeles model who is looking after her young sister Kathy (played by real-life sister Mariel). While shooting photos for a lipstick campaign, Chris is introduced to Gordon Stuart (Chris Sarandon), a grammar school music teacher and composer to whom Kathy has taken an innocent shine. Chris naively invites Stuart to their apartment the following afternoon and begins to sense that all is not well with him mentally; besides shifty behavior, his electronically-generated music sounds fresh out of a demented video game. During playback, Chris's phone rings with a male acquaintance and Stuart becomes enraged by her beauty and attractiveness to other men. Chris is groped, beaten, and sexually tortured while fastened with scarves to her bed.
Stuart is arrested and put on trial, but the 'justice' system makes things worse for Chris rather than better. She is under constant scrutiny from the press, is forced to relive the experience again while on the stand, and must use her sister Kathy, who walked in after the rape, as a witness. It is only assistant district attorney Carla Bondi (Anne Bancroft), a forceful woman, who supplies her with the hope of a conviction. Instead, Stuart gets off scot-free after Chris is portrayed as a woman who enjoys 'flaunting' her body and engaging in sadomasochism.
Because of the violent finale in which Chris seeks revenge, 'Lipstick' has drawn comparisons with 'Death Wish' even though it deals far more with the troubles of a woman who is physically harmed; in 'Death Wish,' Paul Kersey is a male victim through indirect, albeit close, circumstances. 'Lipstick' has also been condemned as exploitation, but that is perhaps only true in the film's second half when David Rayfiel's script begins to fall apart. The initial rape scene is filthy and uses explicit angles of Chris's body, but it shows the depraved act for what it is and how it can reduce a vibrant woman into the object of a man's perversions. 'Lipstick' also does well (at least from a male's perspective) to depict the bitterness and rage such a victim must feel.
Unfortunately, 'Lipstick' caves into sensationalism as things progress. An odd thing happens in the later trial scenes, when Kathy is again called to the stand; defense attorney Nathan Cartright (Robin Gammell) instills reasonable doubt in the jury by showing that Kathy was not distressed from seeing Chris and Gordon in bed. Moments later, the jury returns a 'not guilty' verdict. While this is highly possible, Rayfiel's script and Lamont Johnson's direction fail to make it convincing; the movie is fairing superbly until this point.
Plot conveniences really take over, such as Chris allowing Kathy to walk around an empty office complex that is somehow visited that day by Gordon Stuart(!) The film ends with Carla Bondi 'leaving' the district attorney's office(!) to defend Chris after she shoots Gordon dead with a hunting rifle. The lackluster writing is a shame, because 'Lipstick' is a film with enduring impact. Even now, women in America are treated horrendously and only a small percentage of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement; there is also a swarm of people who believe that certain women are 'asking for it' when carrying an openness to their sexuality, as if their saying 'no' becomes any less valid.
Considering that both were in their debut, Margaux and Mariel Hemingway are excellent in this film. Margaux has been slammed for an over-the-top performance, but it was clearly a role that she worked hard to portray. Of course, she was ideally suited to play a model on film; she was tall, stunningly beautiful, and of a pleasant demeanor. Mariel also shows an easy-going personality and knew - even then - how to perform with subtlety. The supporting cast is fairly good, although Chris Sarandon and Anne Bancroft have their moments of chewing up the set. Aside from its heavy subject matter, 'Lipstick' is quite a beginning for two sisters - one who grew into a star and the other who left us far too soon.
'Lipstick' is currently on DVD with minimal treatment from Paramount. The film is in widescreen with Dolby-enhanced mono, optional French dubbing, and optional English subtitles; there are no extras, not even the theatrical trailer. 'Lipstick' is grainy as hell with occasional artifacts, but the print quality is just enough to sense a gloss from its original showing. The disco soundtrack of Michel Polnareff comes across smoothly and the overall audio quality is decent. 'Lipstick' is mostly an afterthought in the broad picture of cinema, but has kept much of its dramatic value intact.
** out of 4
Roving Reviewer - www.geocities.com/paul_johnr