Hotel Angel
Encyclopedia
Hotel Angel is a 1974
Thai
drama film
directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol
, about a young woman (Viyada Umarin) who becomes involved in the sex trade
in Bangkok
.
who decides to sneak away to Bangkok
with her boyfriend, Chate, but shortly after arriving, Chate disappears and Malee finds herself held captive in a "love hotel
". To pay for the room, she is forced to sleep with men. At first, she is horrified by what she must do, but after a time, she becomes resigned and accepts her situation as fate.
With her debt paid, she starts to earn money working as a prostitute
, giving her the ability to buy new clothes and send money home to her father, telling him she is working as a seamstress
. As Malee is taking her clothes off, her father is putting new windows on his house.
Malee gains a reputation in her community as a person to be relied upon to help break new girls in. One particularly hard case refuses to be accepting as Malee was, and despite Malee's advice continues to be rebellious and eventually commits suicide
.
Even after the death of her charming pimp (Sorapong Chatree), Malee continues until one day she is able to become independent of the sex trade, and there is a happy ending for her as she is able to open her own dress shop in Bangkok.
1974 in film
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
Thai
Cinema of Thailand
The cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorn's 1897 visit to Bern, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to Bangkok, where it was exhibited...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol
Chatrichalerm Yukol
His Serene Highness Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol is a Thai film director, screenwriter and film producer. A prolific director since the 1970s, among his films is the 2001 historical epic, The Legend of Suriyothai. A member of the Thai royal family, his official royal title is Mom Chao, or M.C., the...
, about a young woman (Viyada Umarin) who becomes involved in the sex trade
Prostitution in Thailand
Prostitution in Thailand is illegal, although in practice it is tolerated and partly regulated. Prostitution is practised openly throughout the country. Local officials with commercial interests in prostitution often protect the practice. The precise number of prostitutes is difficult to assess;...
in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
.
Plot
Malee is a farm girl from Northern ThailandNorthern Thailand
Thailand's northern region is geographically characterised by multiple mountain ranges which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar and Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them...
who decides to sneak away to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
with her boyfriend, Chate, but shortly after arriving, Chate disappears and Malee finds herself held captive in a "love hotel
Love hotel
A love hotel is a type of short-stay hotel found around the world operated primarily for the purpose of allowing couples privacy for sexual activities...
". To pay for the room, she is forced to sleep with men. At first, she is horrified by what she must do, but after a time, she becomes resigned and accepts her situation as fate.
With her debt paid, she starts to earn money working as a prostitute
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, giving her the ability to buy new clothes and send money home to her father, telling him she is working as a seamstress
Sewing
Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era...
. As Malee is taking her clothes off, her father is putting new windows on his house.
Malee gains a reputation in her community as a person to be relied upon to help break new girls in. One particularly hard case refuses to be accepting as Malee was, and despite Malee's advice continues to be rebellious and eventually commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
Even after the death of her charming pimp (Sorapong Chatree), Malee continues until one day she is able to become independent of the sex trade, and there is a happy ending for her as she is able to open her own dress shop in Bangkok.