Ron Sullivan was a porn pioneer who as "Henri Pachard" directed many classics and hundreds of routine films and videos. THIS SPORTING HOUSE is one of his clunkiest.
Its gritty look typical of '60s NYC porn, film depicts the uninteresting activities at a Manhattan bordello, run by of all people Jennifer Welles, with dark hair this time out. The attempt at showing us a behind the scenes look is more boring than arousing.
Film begins with thugs working for kingpin Mr. Martini shanghaiing three girls off the street for forced servitude as unwilling "recruits" for his brothel. One of the three (Laura) is not a hooker, but no matter, she will be taught how by madam Welles & co. Tryout period is 30 days (to be paid $500) for each girl.
Welles takes a lesbian liking to Laura, and vows to protect her. There's a roughie segment when a john arrives via Rolls-Royce, and the goateed guy beats up a blonde while surf music plays (!). He's played by porn regular Larry Hunter, in heavy-breathing, Method Acting style (almost as bad as his turn in SOCK IT TO ME BABY). Hunter gets his comeuppance when the girl punches him in the groin.
SPOILERS AHEAD: What passes for black humor is a lesbian client Mrs. Richardson wearing a bad wig who complains when a girl she has in bondage won't cooperate. The girl gets punished but when Martini finds out Mrs. Richardson can't pay her overdue $1,800 tab with the brothel he puts the older lady into bondage, forced to work it out in trade as a prisoner of the brothel. Plot line dovetails too neatly when Hunter returns in the final reel and fondles Richardson tied to a chair, getting carried away and choking her to death. En route to this downbeat demise, she has to service various sleaze-balls, including the overworked porn thesp Alex Mann.
Sullivan's sloppy direction of this attempt at titillation reaches its nadir in a scene where Welles catches an underling Ricky sleeping with Laura. As Ricky hides his privates (full-frontal nudity for women only in this 1969 feature), Welles slams the door and it just bounces back open by mistake. No retake permitted.
A dull party Martini throws to raise money ($250 admission fee per head) has kinky action (underling Bruno "brands" a chick with a cigar) plus Laura given over to two lesbians.
Climax is totally amateurish, as Ricky and Bruno fight in the basement and Welles is stabbed. "Bruno, I think you killed a defenseless woman" is dubbed in as voice-over for Ricky as he and Laura ascend the stairs and THE END title is slapped on the screen. A truly clumsy finish.
