Sextette

It's too easy to dismiss SEXTETTE as just another tacky bad movie. It is actually more of a camp classic. Mae West, aged 85 at the time of shooting, may well have been having the last laugh here. She lampoons herself wildly in this incredible film version of her own stage play, involving an actress of a certain age visiting London to star in a new production. Choice dialog: "Miss Manners, what did you think of Big Ben?" "Oh, I don't believe I've met the gentleman". As the film progresses, all pretence at serious production seemingly goes out of the window. Rock stars Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr and Keith Moon make suitably sozzled mid-70s L.A. styled appearances for no good reason, and future James Bond Timothy Dalton hams up no end his role as Mae's youthful beau. And then suddenly, the film becomes a musical. Truly incredible, a must-see for fans of high camp.

SEXTETTE is a throwback to the early years of cinema, where stars were larger than life and films threw in song and dance routines at regular intervals in the name of popular entertainment. It's also a vehicle for elderly starlet Mae West, at the tail-end of her career, playing a man-eater celebrating her wedding to a young toyboy (a visibly embarrassed Timothy Dalton). As the credits rolled, I had no idea what I'd just seen.

Clearly the director is in love with West and the film has been concocted as a tribute to her. But the format is very odd and old fashioned and West's appearance is rather shocking; her age is never mentioned so it's pretty weird to see her trying to play herself some fifty years previously. Often the narrative will break off to feature some filmed insert of West making one of her trademark wisecracks, which is bizarre in itself.

The music is pretty poor although there are endless guest appearances from a wide variety of folk in an attempt to entertain: Tony Curtis, Ringo Starr, George Hamilton, and Alice Cooper all show up here. Overall though, SEXTETTE is a ludicrous film, and I can't help but think that it would have been better to remember West as she was rather than as she is here.

Sextette is a much maligned movie. There have been far worse films released. The new Region 2 English release on DVD simply has to be seen to be believed in contrast to the US Rhino version, which makes no attempt at a remastered print. The UK version is as crisp and sharp as it can be, saturated colours, good clear mono sound, and has obviously made this rather difficult movie more watchable.

Neither Mae West or anyone else in the movies finest hour this film has a few enjoyable moments. The whole premise that Timothy Dalton would be anxious to ravish the 83 0r 84 year old siren is unlikely! Dalton and Wests version of Love Will Keep Us Together is something that will stay wioth you forever despite years of therapy!!

I remember the late Vincent Price discussing a screentest (on British chat show host Michael Parkinson's show a few years back)for the role of one of her husbands only to be turned down because he was too old for the part!!

A Time magaazine review said the film could be enjoyed because it was so bad it was good!!

Worth catching if your taste runs to the outrageous!!

I saw this movie on TV several years ago and thought that I would hate it after reading so many terrible reviews. It's true that this is a movie aimed mainly at Mae West fans and it was made about 40 years too late. But the production values are high and the acting is great. Mae looked good for her age and it was the only film offer she had received in a while. Like Mae said 'if I don't work what should I do, sit in a chair all day and rock'. The movie is good fun and it is nice to see Mae having such a good time. There were lots of stories being told at the time she made this about her mental and physical condition but these nasty stories which we all heard were proved to be false. Long live Mae

Antediluvian legend Mae West shuffles about in the feathers and beads of her youth, callomaniacally adoring her petrifying visage in anything that casts a reflection...beneath the golden locks of her enormous and very obvious wig, there must have been at least 15 pounds of Scotch tape and rubber bands straining to reverse the gravitational causatum of many passing decades. An unlikely multitude of men fall over themselves in awe of her bewitching feminine mystique while the very pallid and disoriented looking Ms. West spouts her famed pre-code one-liners as though they were fresh as a spring rose. There's some narrative nonsense in the folds concerning the U.S. government's plan to ease political tensions by enlisting Mae and her irresistible animal prowess.

A tacky, jaw-dropping trainwreck boiling over with callithumpian musical numbers, SEXTETTE is also a treasure trove of unpremeditated humor. Essential viewing for those with a fondness for kitsch, but true-blue fans of Ms. West might opt to cover their eyes and ears. Mae's true age during production remains speculative, as her birth certificate is a thus far unpublished papyrus fragment excavated at Oxyrhynchus.

3.5/10