Movie spotlight
Profiles of Pleasure
Before the Big Ban on prostitution, West Hong Kong is famous for its houses of pleasure. The most infamous of them all is Floral Ode House. Among its girls are Yen Hung, who becomes a widow regularly; aristocratic Chien Chien; Cherry Fun, who manages to lose the nickname; and a bevy of beauties. The madam who is on good terms with the police chief claims the best business this side of virtue. Then there comes from England Cheng Li-Peng, commissioned to ban prostitution. He is engaged to Lily, the police chief's daughter. But his parents had arranged a wife for him when he was an infant. They have lost trace of each other. Cheng Li-Peng starts his investigation, which lead him to Yen Hung's and Chien Chien's bedrooms. He is surprised to find himself in love with all three girls. And one of them turns out to be his missing fiancee!
Insights
Plot Summary
In 1950s Los Angeles, a young woman named Candy struggles to make ends meet and falls into a life of sex work to support herself. She navigates the complex world of adult entertainment, encountering both exploitation and unexpected kindness along the way. The film explores her journey as she seeks love, independence, and a way out of her circumstances.
Critical Reception
Profiles of Pleasure received mixed to negative reviews, primarily due to its graphic content and perceived exploitative nature, though some critics acknowledged Traci Lords' performance. It is often categorized as a low-budget exploitation film rather than a mainstream dramatic piece.
What Reviewers Say
The film is criticized for its gratuitous nudity and often gratuitous sex scenes.
Traci Lords' performance is sometimes cited as the only redeemable aspect.
Lacks significant plot development and relies heavily on sensationalism.
Google audience: Audience reception is largely unavailable and not widely discussed, but what little exists suggests it is viewed as an exploitative B-movie.
Fun Fact
Traci Lords, who was underage when she began her career in adult films, stars in this movie that was released after she had transitioned to mainstream acting.
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