THE PLOT THUS FAR
Academy Award winning nominee Melanie Griffith stars as Billie Dawn, a Las Vegas showgirl whose lack of sophistication makes for some hilariously embarrassing moments in the Washington, D.C., social scene. That’s when her overbearing boyfriend hires a well-educated and handsome journalist to smarten her up. The improbable romance that blossoms between Billie and her tutor turns all of their lives – and Washington, D.C. – upside down!
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Billie Dawn is the girlfriend of construction planner and corrupt crook Harry Brock, and she is not all that intelligent about certain things, and is causing embarrassment. So Harry pays $5000 to Paul Verrall for him to teach Billie things she should know to make her look more acceptable and intelligent. As she learns more and more, Billie doesn’t seem to be so thick after all, and it is obvious the teaching from Paul is turning into something more passionate.
A book called Democracy in America – which was actually written in the 19th Century by a Frenchman named Tocqueville – plays a big part. By studying its concepts, Brock’s moll Billy awakens to the fact that she is being duped by Harry, who represents the forces of rampant capitalism, and rises up against her oppressor. Whether the message is particularly relevant to its target audience is open to question, but perhaps its assumption that it won’t really be taken too seriously allows the film to make its symbolism so literal that few will miss the parallels.
The Blu-Ray comes with a trailer as its sole special feature. The 1080p feature is good enough for an HD bow, but don’t expect anything that’s terribly clean. Mill Creek has priced the release right and I’d like to see more Blu-Ray companies get behind older titles in this matter. I’d rather have it in HD, then to not have a release at all. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to fans.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!
