Prick Up Your Ears (DVD, 2004)

Typical of his wit, Joe Orton (Gary Oldman), in "Prick Up Your Ears" says: "I always wanted to be an orphan. I could have, if it wasn't for my parents."

Alan Bennett's award winning script's on point. British playwright, Joe Orton (John Kingsley Orton), was a rebel. Flamboyant & enigmatic as gay chap. His writings & enthusiasm was abruptly ended by jealous life partner, Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina), who beat Orton to death in 1967. "Prick Up Your Ears" is a true story of Orton's short-lived fame in British theater. His hits, "The Ruffian on the Stair" (play, 1966), "Loot" (play, 1967) & "What the Butler Saw" (play, 1969) are most memorable.

Superbly cast, especially Vanessa Redgrave as Peggy Ramsay, Orton's genius, witty, sexy & gorgeous agent, blends so well with Oldman & Shawn as comedians.
Redgrave seems naturally witty. Redgrave's comical timing's perfect for one-liners, as she adds a touch of grin on her lips. She's in her prime when this motion picture was filmed & sizzles! "Prick Up Your Ear's" screenplay is worthy of Redgrave & Oldman. Though Orton struggled being gay when it was illegal & ends violently, he coped by surrounding himself with comedy:

Peggy Ramsay(Redgrave): "Ken was the first wife. He did all the work & the waiting & then..."
John Lahr(Shawn): "Well, first wives don't usually beat their husband's head in."
Ramsay: "No. Though why I can't think."
Lahr: "So what does that make you? The second wife?"
Ramsay: "Better than that, dear. The widow."

John Lahr's (Wallace Shawn) an investigative reporter who's collecting data from Ramsay for a story about Orton's life & partnership with Halliwell. She conveys that their partnership started swell; but, as Halliwell's career's shadowed by Orton's, green-eyed envy overtook him. Orton was famous for sexually scandalous comical plays. A few are loosely based on his & Halliwell's lives. Orton was anything but monogamous. Orton’s sex could be for the sake of pleasure, or as Foucault put it, "ars erotica." Since Halliwell wasn't credited, even though he sometimes contributed to Orton's work, he flipped out.

Depicting true to reality gay life in London in the 1960's, when being gay was illegal, by default as a gay writer, Orton was in-your-face out. There are a few gay sex scenes that earned a R rating. It's a great (1987) movie: Redgrave's & Oldman's thru & thru.

A Brief List of Orton's Works:
"Entertaining Mr. Sloane" (play, 1964)
"The Ruffian on the Stair" (play, 1966)
"Loot" (play, 1967)
"The Erpingham Camp" (play, 1967)
"What the Butler Saw" (play, 1969)
"The Good & Faithful Servant" (play, 1970)
"Funeral Games" (play, 1970)
"Head to Toe" (novel, 1971)
"Orton: the Complete Plays" (book, 1976)
"Up Against It" (screenplay, 1979)
(His script "Up Against It," written for the Beatles, at Sir Paul McCartney's request, was broadcast on BBC Radio, September 21st, 1997).

A Few of the Many Awards:
1987 New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress & nominated for a Golden Globe: Vanessa Redgrave.

1988 London Critics Circle Film Award for Actor of the Year: Gary Oldman. Best Screenwriter of the Year: Alan Bennett.

1987 Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Artistic Contribution: Stephen Myers, Composer~