The Gigolos
Encyclopedia
The Gigolos is a 2006 British comedy film directed by Richard Bracewell
, starring Sacha Tarter
and Trevor Sather
alongside Susannah York
, Anna Massey
and Siân Phillips
. Bracewell's debut feature, The Gigolos is a buddy movie set in the twilight world of the London male escort.
The tag line (according to IMDb
) is "Everyone Needs Someone", although UK promotional materials use the quote "A provocative glimpse at open secrets" from the Hollywood Reporter review.
The film was shot on location in London in 2004 and 2005. Bracewell wrote the story with Tarter and Sather, and was also cinematographer
. The dialogue
was improvised. It premiered at AFI Fest in Hollywood in November 2005. It was released in the UK on March 23, 2007 by Punk Cinema. The British Film Institute
released the DVD
in the UK on February 9, 2009. Its premiere on network television was on Monday, July 20, 2009 on BBC1.
in London, overlooking Parliament
. Sacha smokes while his valet
Trevor helps him dress. Sacha leaves the apartment block in his silver Mercedes SL480 (a reference to the Mercedes 450 SL Convertible Richard Gere
drives in American Gigolo
), crossing Westminster Bridge
to a date.
Sacha first meets Joy, an ageing assistant in a publishing company, then Baroness James, a powerful government minister. Sacha dines and dates elderly clients (all over 50), sometimes providing something more. Meanwhile, Trevor goes about his business as both Sacha's valet and his pimp
, sourcing the clients and booking hotel rooms.
One night, Sacha injures himself "on the job" in a swimming pool, so trains Trevor as his temporary replacement. Trevor is a surprise hit as a gigolo, and the pair go into competition.
almost exclusively, especially Westminster
, Mayfair
, Piccadilly
and the South Bank
.
and the duet Au fond du Temple Saint from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, to Ian Dury and the Blockheads'
Clever Trever, Sleazy Bed Track by The Bluetones
and California Dreamin'
by Bobby Womack
.
about the business world made by Tarter, Sather and Bracewell, and Gigolos Uncovered, a documentary
about the making of The Gigolos by New York
filmmaker Paul Sullivan.
s Derek Elley described the film as "a natural for rep houses and upmarket movie channels" while in The Hollywood Reporter
, Sheri Linden wrote it is "an effective slice-of-life portrait of characters" .
On its UK release, reviews appeared in major UK newspapers. Sukhdev Sandhu of The Daily Telegraph
said that Bracewell "evokes with poetic clarity the loneliness of late-night London." Ian Johns in The Times
wrote that "intimate camerawork and scenes moodily capture half-revealed lives". Larushka Ivan-Zadeh in Metro
told readers to "seek out this cliché-confounding, utterly intriguing debut Brit flick", adding that this The Gigolos is a "real rough gem.". Mike McCahill wrote in The Sunday Telegraph that this is "a disarming debut...that subverts your every expectation with each new scene."
Less positive reviews came from The Guardian
and Time Out. Andrew Pulver in The Guardian said the lead actors "manage to raise a few giggles, even if events remain pretty inconsequential." Time Out reviewer David Jenkins
complimented parts of the film - there's some "ravishing imagery of central London" - but said the drama "is light on insight."
Richard Bracewell
Richard Bracewell is an English film director with UK feature film production company Punk Cinema, which he set up in 2004 with co-producer and brother Tony Bracewell....
, starring Sacha Tarter
Sacha Tarter
Sacha Alexander is a British actor, comedian, scriptwriter and producer.Alexander most recently starred in Freddi with Rob Brydon. Freddi is a pilot comedy drama commissioned by BBC Four in 2008 about Freddi, a wealthy, bored Russian oligarch living in London...
and Trevor Sather
Trevor Sather
Trevor Sather is a British film-writer and actor.Along with Sacha Tarter, Sather co-wrote and co-starred in the 2006 British movie The Gigolos, directed by Richard Bracewell. Sather played the 'gent' to Tarter's 'player' in the movie about a fantasy world of London gigolos and their clients...
alongside Susannah York
Susannah York
Susannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
, Anna Massey
Anna Massey
Anna Raymond Massey, CBE was an English actress. She won a BAFTA Award for the role of Edith Hope in the 1986 TV adaptation of Anita Brookner’s novel Hotel du Lac.-Early life:...
and Siân Phillips
Siân Phillips
Jane Elizabeth Ailwên "Siân" Phillips, CBE, is a Welsh actress.-Early life:Phillips was born in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Neath Port Talbot, Wales, the daughter of Sally , a teacher, and David Phillips, a steelworker-turned-policeman...
. Bracewell's debut feature, The Gigolos is a buddy movie set in the twilight world of the London male escort.
The tag line (according to IMDb
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
) is "Everyone Needs Someone", although UK promotional materials use the quote "A provocative glimpse at open secrets" from the Hollywood Reporter review.
The film was shot on location in London in 2004 and 2005. Bracewell wrote the story with Tarter and Sather, and was also cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
. The dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
was improvised. It premiered at AFI Fest in Hollywood in November 2005. It was released in the UK on March 23, 2007 by Punk Cinema. The British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
released the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the UK on February 9, 2009. Its premiere on network television was on Monday, July 20, 2009 on BBC1.
Plot
The film begins at night with Sacha on a balcony on the south side of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in London, overlooking Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. Sacha smokes while his valet
Valet
Valet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
Trevor helps him dress. Sacha leaves the apartment block in his silver Mercedes SL480 (a reference to the Mercedes 450 SL Convertible Richard Gere
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...
drives in American Gigolo
American Gigolo
American Gigolo is a 1980 crime drama film, written and directed by Paul Schrader. It is informally considered the second installment in his "lonely man" trilogy, following the Martin Scorsese directed Taxi Driver and preceding Light Sleeper .-Plot:Julian Kaye is a male prostitute in Los Angeles...
), crossing Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side, in London, England....
to a date.
Sacha first meets Joy, an ageing assistant in a publishing company, then Baroness James, a powerful government minister. Sacha dines and dates elderly clients (all over 50), sometimes providing something more. Meanwhile, Trevor goes about his business as both Sacha's valet and his pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
, sourcing the clients and booking hotel rooms.
One night, Sacha injures himself "on the job" in a swimming pool, so trains Trevor as his temporary replacement. Trevor is a surprise hit as a gigolo, and the pair go into competition.
Locations
The Gigolos uses locations in London's West EndWest End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
almost exclusively, especially Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
, Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
and the South Bank
South Bank
South Bank is an area of London, England located immediately adjacent to the south side of the River Thames. It forms a long and narrow section of riverside development that is within the London Borough of Lambeth to the border with the London Borough of Southwark and was formerly simply known as...
.
Cast
- Sacha TarterSacha TarterSacha Alexander is a British actor, comedian, scriptwriter and producer.Alexander most recently starred in Freddi with Rob Brydon. Freddi is a pilot comedy drama commissioned by BBC Four in 2008 about Freddi, a wealthy, bored Russian oligarch living in London...
as Sacha: top London gigolo - Trevor SatherTrevor SatherTrevor Sather is a British film-writer and actor.Along with Sacha Tarter, Sather co-wrote and co-starred in the 2006 British movie The Gigolos, directed by Richard Bracewell. Sather played the 'gent' to Tarter's 'player' in the movie about a fantasy world of London gigolos and their clients...
as Trevor: Sacha's faithful valet/pimp - Siân PhillipsSiân PhillipsJane Elizabeth Ailwên "Siân" Phillips, CBE, is a Welsh actress.-Early life:Phillips was born in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Neath Port Talbot, Wales, the daughter of Sally , a teacher, and David Phillips, a steelworker-turned-policeman...
as Baronness James: a government minister - Susannah YorkSusannah YorkSusannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
as Tessa Harrington: a fashion agent - Anna MasseyAnna MasseyAnna Raymond Massey, CBE was an English actress. She won a BAFTA Award for the role of Edith Hope in the 1986 TV adaptation of Anita Brookner’s novel Hotel du Lac.-Early life:...
as Edwina: an ageing socialiteSocialiteA socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
Soundtrack
The film mixes classical and popular music, from Mozart's Don GiovanniDon Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
and the duet Au fond du Temple Saint from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, to Ian Dury and the Blockheads'
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
Clever Trever, Sleazy Bed Track by The Bluetones
The Bluetones
The Bluetones were an English indie rock band, formed in Hounslow, Greater London, in 1993. The band's members were Mark Morriss on vocals, Adam Devlin on guitar, Scott Morriss on bass guitar, and Eds Chesters on drums. A fifth member, Richard Payne, came on board between 1998 and 2002...
and California Dreamin'
California Dreamin'
"California Dreamin is a popular song by The Mamas & the Papas, first released in 1965. The song is #89 in Rolling Stones list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time...
by Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack
Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
.
UK DVD release
The British Film Institute released The Gigolos on DVD on February 9, 2009. Extras on the DVD include The Big Idea, a previously unreleased mockumentaryMockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
about the business world made by Tarter, Sather and Bracewell, and Gigolos Uncovered, a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the making of The Gigolos by New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
filmmaker Paul Sullivan.
Reviews
Since its AFI Fest premiere, The Gigolos has received mostly positive reviews, from amongst others the two leading trade magazines. VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
s Derek Elley described the film as "a natural for rep houses and upmarket movie channels" while in The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
, Sheri Linden wrote it is "an effective slice-of-life portrait of characters" .
On its UK release, reviews appeared in major UK newspapers. Sukhdev Sandhu of The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
said that Bracewell "evokes with poetic clarity the loneliness of late-night London." Ian Johns in The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
wrote that "intimate camerawork and scenes moodily capture half-revealed lives". Larushka Ivan-Zadeh in Metro
Metro (Associated Metro Limited)
Metro is a free daily newspaper in the United Kingdom published by Associated Newspapers Ltd . It is available from Monday to Friday each week on many public transport services across the United Kingdom.-History:The paper was launched in London in 1999, and can now be found in 14 UK urban centres...
told readers to "seek out this cliché-confounding, utterly intriguing debut Brit flick", adding that this The Gigolos is a "real rough gem.". Mike McCahill wrote in The Sunday Telegraph that this is "a disarming debut...that subverts your every expectation with each new scene."
Less positive reviews came from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and Time Out. Andrew Pulver in The Guardian said the lead actors "manage to raise a few giggles, even if events remain pretty inconsequential." Time Out reviewer David Jenkins
David Jenkins
David Jenkins may refer to:*David Jenkins , former Bishop of Durham*David J. Jenkins, professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto*David P...
complimented parts of the film - there's some "ravishing imagery of central London" - but said the drama "is light on insight."