Austin Eccie Film Fest: Guys Who Fall in Love with Their Prostitutes

[Monk Rasputin]

The Austin Forbidden Film Fest is next week. This week, I’d like to begin the Austin Eccie Film Fest.

There’s a fair body of literature and film about guys who fall in love with their prostitutes. These movies come to pretty quickly to mind.

“Never on Sunday” (1960). Melina Mercouri is Ilya, a Greek port city prostitute. Homer is a visiting American philosopher who tries to reform her in a couple weeks, a la Henry Higgins.

“Irma la Douce” (1963). Directed by Billy Wilder. Jack Lemmon is an ex-cop who falls in love with Shirley MacLaine’s Irma, a Paris prostitute. He tries to get her out of that life by paying for all her time as the mysterious “Lord X.” Some wisdom for us all in these words of Moustache, Lemmon’s friend:

“Shows you the kind of world we live in. Love is illegal - but not hate. That you can do anywhere, anytime, to anybody. But if you want a little warmth, a little tenderness, a shoulder to cry on, a smile to cuddle up with, you have to hide in dark corners, like a criminal. Pfui.”

“Pretty Woman” (1990). Richard Gere, on a week-long business trip, needs an escort for some social functions. He hires Julia Roberts, a beautiful prostitute, only to fall in love with her. A real crowd pleaser. Happy endings all around.



“The Blue Angel” (“Der Blau Engel”) (1930). Directed by Josef von Sternberg. This is a dark, dark story of the of the humiliation and breakdown of Emil Janning’s inhibited professor who falls in love with Marlene Dietrich’s Lola Lola, a cabaret singer and courtesan. His undoing begins at his first glimpse of Lola straddling a chair crooning "Falling in Love Again" in top hat, stockings, and bare thighs.

Except for “Pretty Woman,” these were all considered pretty risqué for their time, at least when they first appeared here in the States.

Is what we have here enough to label this theme a “genre”? Are there others? Favorites?

Monk

[Toyz]

The Sessions was very well done. I enjoyed the slow pace and how the characters bonded through the film.

[ztonk]

If we extend it to "falling in lust" with a prostitute, how about Risky Business (1983). I remember watching that train scene a few times.

z

[Whispers]

The most entertaining one for me was The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Taxi Driver and Night Shift come to mind....

Probably not the cultural statements you are looking for but they definitely incorporate the subject matter.....

All those classics be damned man.... What's more entertaining than a musical rendition of "Texas ...has a whore house in it"? (2:10 into it...)... Always gotta be haters right?

[johnnytx39]

What about a wench? Man of La Mancha
http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/D...s=&Movie=54553

[ChaCho]

Can't leave out Alabama from TRUE ROMANCE!

[Centaur]

"Heart of Gold": Episode 13 of the short-lived TV series Firefly

[Munchmasterman]

Originally Posted by Monk Rasputin

The Austin Forbidden Film Fest is next week. This week, I’d like to begin the Austin Eccie Film Fest.

There’s a fair body of literature and film about guys who fall in love with their prostitutes. These movies come to pretty quickly to mind.

“Never on Sunday” (1960). Melina Mercouri is Ilya, a Greek port city prostitute. Homer is a visiting American philosopher who tries to reform her in a couple weeks, a la Henry Higgins.

“Irma la Douce” (1963). Directed by Billy Wilder. Jack Lemmon is an ex-cop who falls in love with Shirley MacLaine’s Irma, a Paris prostitute. He tries to get her out of that life by paying for all her time as the mysterious “Lord X.” Some wisdom for us all in these words of Moustache, Lemmon’s friend:

“Shows you the kind of world we live in. Love is illegal - but not hate. That you can do anywhere, anytime, to anybody. But if you want a little warmth, a little tenderness, a shoulder to cry on, a smile to cuddle up with, you have to hide in dark corners, like a criminal. Pfui.”

“Pretty Woman” (1990). Richard Gere, on a week-long business trip, needs an escort for some social functions. He hires Julia Roberts, a beautiful prostitute, only to fall in love with her. A real crowd pleaser. Happy endings all around.



“The Blue Angel” (“Der Blau Engel”) (1930). Directed by Josef von Sternberg. This is a dark, dark story of the of the humiliation and breakdown of Emil Janning’s inhibited professor who falls in love with Marlene Dietrich’s Lola Lola, a cabaret singer and courtesan. His undoing begins at his first glimpse of Lola straddling a chair crooning "Falling in Love Again" in top hat, stockings, and bare thighs.

Except for “Pretty Woman,” these were all considered pretty risqué for their time, at least when they first appeared here in the States.

Is what we have here enough to label this theme a “genre”? Are there others? Favorites?

Monk

It happens in a bunch of my home movies.
But they don't really have titles

[Oafer]

Luis Buñuel's "Belle de Jour" takes it as far as I'm concerned . . . IJS. Bunuel is the master and the film is amazing!

[Rogue_Gent]

Breakfast at Tiffany's with the petite and elegant Audrey Hepburn stating the film with the classiest slut-walk ever.

[Tatonka]

Hustle (1975)
Burt Reynolds, Catherine Denueve

Phil Gaines (Burt Reynolds) is a bitter, cynical cop who investigates the case of a dead stripper/porno actress found on the beach. Gaines is experiencing a troubled relationship with a hooker (Catherine Denueve), and things don't get any better when the dead girl's father launches his own investigation.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073133/

[Bobave]

Payback (1999)
Mel Gibson with Maria Bello (hot damn) as his hooker girlfriend.


Klute (1971)
Donald Sutherland as a small-town detective who gets involved with a NYC prostitute (Jane Fonda when she still looked hot)

[Victoria Columbari]

The Blue Angel is an awesome movie. I love it. And yes it was very risque for its time. Just a great movie....

[jsparrow]

I remember and revere all of the above.

This may not fit the definition but I offer:

"Nymphomaniac Parts 1 and 2" with that killer last scene.

[johnnytx39]

Originally Posted by Centaur

"Heart of Gold": Episode 13 of the short-lived TV series Firefly

Thanks, Centaur. What a wonderful series!

I think Inara had Mal at Paradiso.



Women don't approve of men. Men don't care.