Personal Services( 1987)

TV-MAComedy

61%

User
Score

The future lies in kinky people

Overview

The story of the rise of a madame of a suburban brothel catering to older men, inspired by the real experiences of Cynthia Payne. The story follows Christine Painter as the down-at-heel waitress who, with the help of prostitute Shirley and cross-dressing Wing Commander Morten, seeks to up her earnings by turning her suburban home into a brothel. Before long she and her girls are chaining up judges, spanking Generals and attending to the needs of Honourable Members. Christine sees herself as providing a vital service to these harmless pervs and when finally the house is busted and the case comes to court, it's fair to say that the presiding judge isn't unfamiliar with her work.

Top Billed Cast

Julie Walters
Christine Painter
Shirley Stelfox
Shirley
Alec McCowen
Wing Commander Morten
Danny Schiller
Dolly
Tim Woodward
Timms
Suzette Llewellyn
Helen
Victoria Hardcastle
Rose
Dave Atkins
Sydney
Ewan Hooper
Edward
Alan Bowyer
David Painter
Peter Cellier
Mr. Marples
Benjamin Whitrow
Mr. Marsden
Stephen Lewis
Mr. Dunkley
John Shrapnel
Lionel
Nigel Le Vaillant
The Man
Ron Pember
Ron
Ivor Roberts
Glossop
Arthur Cox
Lennox
Stanley Lebor
Jones
John Bailey
Mr. Gardner
Carolyn Allen
Carol
Sheila Gill
Mrs. Winter
Jagdish Kumar
Mr. Shah
Badi Uzzaman
Mr. Patel
Arnold Brown
The Vicar
Toni Palmer
Aunt Winnie
Andrew MacLachlan
Mr. McClellan
Arthur Hewlett
Mr. Francis
Andreas Markos
Mr. Costas
Michael Packer
Ralph
Ian McNeice
Harry
Helen Gemmell
Jenny
Clare Clifford
Fay
Joanna Dickens
Gloria
Charlotte Alexandra
Diane
Antony Carrick
Edgar
Leon Lissek
Mr. Popozogolou
Arthur Whybrow
Mac
Anthony Collin
Mr. Webb
Peter Wight
Detective Gibson
Adam Morris
Man in Video
Lorena Lee
The Angel
Allan Stirland
Phil
Mark Hardy
Nicole
Lorraine Brunning
Angela
Rupert Holliday-Evans
Terry
Michelle Collins
June
Pamela Duncan
Jackie
David Leland
Mr. Pilkington / Danielle
Janie Booth
Court Usher
Nick Stringer
P.C. Baker
Roy Beck
Cafe Patron (uncredited)

Social

Review 1Discussion

A review by CinemaSerf

Written by CinemaSerf on Mon Jul 24 2023

Julie Walters is great in this story of a woman who starts off life working in a café but ends up being arrested for living off the immoral earnings made running a brothel for the great and the good. It's loosely based on the rise and fall of the renowned madam Cynthia Payne (who consulted on the drama) and reaches inside the murky sex industry, laying bare peccadilloes galore as we discover a wide variety of kinks that keep all ranges of society entertained and/or employed. "Christine" is a shrewd business woman whom aided by her stalwart "Dolly" (Danny Schiller); "Shirley" (Shirley Stelfox) a...