Scandalous (1984)

Difficult to rate, this movie is so awful, it's really quite entertaining. Jim Dale and John Gielgud are given their heads and allowed to act with such exaggerated hamminess as to bewilder the ostensible lead, Robert Hays. The scene in which the slummy waiter sets fire to the tablecloth and Dale cracks plates while he stomps it out, is utterly unforgettable. The movie also has a terrific music score, plus photography by the great Jack Cardiff, would you believe, and it shines bright, despite a lot of TV style direction. The heroine is attractive too. The incredible mish-mash of a plot is utterly ridiculous, but it is put across with such verve by Dale and Gielgud and other players that the film succeeds as entertainment, both despite and because of its incredible lapses in taste, style and basic storytelling.

The 80s had plenty of these forgotten little comedies, but what caught my eye about this one is that the story was co-penned by cult film-maker Larry Cohen. Then added additions of Pamela Stephenson beautiful presence and the comedic touches of John Gielgud and Jim Dale as a snoopy Scottish yard detective. "Scandalous" is a breezy, but innovatively constructed mystery-comedy that is completely daft and somewhat contrived, but thoroughly entertaining in its comic flashes and dangerous inclusions. The twists and turns within the plot aren't all that predictable and even resolution is somewhat tragically downbeat. Robert Hayes (who's great in the role) plays an investigative TV reporter Frank Sweldin returning home to London where he comes across an espionage story involving industrial spies (or that's what he's to believe), but instead he finds himself dealing with con-artists and then murder, which everyday the situation worsens as the evidence piles up against him. While Frank was always on the look out for a real story, he never expected he would become one. Very tongue in cheek with a script with much added quick wit and deliciously silly in its many bemusing occurrences like when Dale's erratic character pops up. It seems to play out like a storm in a tea cup. Director Rob Cohen does a crisp job. Also showing up in the cast is M. Emmet Walsh."Never trust journalists."

Depth? No. Great acting?Not really, although John Guilgud is almost worth the cost of admission alone, especially if you have a leather fetish for great British actors... What makes this movie priceless is the club scene featuring Bow Wow Wow. For 80's trivia and music rarities this is a biggee: "Where's My Snake?" in performance. For anyone who can't help moving to "I Want Candy" this singular movie performance of "Where's My Snake" is Annabella Lwin at her best. Is there any reason to watch the whole movie more than once? No. But you will want to watch the scene with Bow Wow Wow and John Guilgud over and over for a great Bow Wow Wow and 80's video moment. OK: fans of light-hearted Eighties comedies will be entertained and there is enough plot, humor and unexpected gags to keep you interested. Like Sir John Guilgud in a great preparatory turn to his later role in "Arthur". But really, with Annabelle Lwin at the pinnacle of Bow wow Wow's fame: who needs a better reason?

This is a quintessential B-movie. Silly, but lots of fun with Sir John cavorting in every disguise imaginable. Despite the clowning, the script takes its mystery roots seriously and those that stay with it will be rewarded by some totally unexpected twists and turns. The critics roasted this one because they missed what the picture was trying to do -- entertain.