Review of Crimes of Passion (1984) by Stuart K — 05 Sep 2012

Ken Russell had finally gone to America with Altered States (1980), despite it's success, he found it hard to get another film made and after directing opera in Europe and Australia, he was offered this lurid sex thriller written by Barry Sandler (The Mirror Crack'd (1980)), it does show the direction Ken would have taken had he stayed in Hollywood, but he soon got bored with it and came home, the film has some good moments though.

In Los Angeles, Joanna Crane (Kathleen Turner) is an employee for a successful fashion design company, but when it's suspected that Joanna has been selling design patterns to his competitors, electronics whiz Bobby Grady (John Laughlin) is asked to keep an eye on Joanna to see whether she's really doing it, but Joanna moonlights as prostitute China Blue, in a blonde wig with make-up and a glittery blue dress, Grady discovers Joanna's double life, but he promises to keep it secret.

But, Joanna as China Blue is in trouble from the obsessive Reverend Peter Shayne (Anthony Perkins), who gives sermons in the street and watches prostitutes while doing drugs and shaming them later. It's a complex thriller with a lot of Ken's usual touches, a wedding video (where composer Rick Wakeman cameos) is a particular, peculiar highlight.

It does feel a bit overlong, but Ken manages to get good performances from all concerned, if Ken had stuck with this, he might have just made it big in Hollywood.