Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

It is a performances centric movie

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Important history, amazing soundtrack, brilliant actors. What's not to like.

I saw this back in the day. Of course back then, it was for reasons of the flesh on display. The past decade or so, I'm RavenGlamDVDCollector and looking to get all my old faves on DVD. I didn't really remember all that much. To cut a long story short, this time round, with myself as a much older guy, besides those wonderfully immortal words by Bridget Fonda, "well, he would, wouldn't he?" which I view as an all-time favorite, what really stands out in this movie, is the most amazing performance by John Hurt as Steven Ward.Now, people, I DO NOT tend to go around praising actors. I very seldom do. I focus on actresses. That's what The Raven does.So, take it from me, a compliment from me to a male actor must be about something astounding.Believe me, John Hurt's performance in this movie is just exactly that. Astounding. Of all performances in my movies-on- DVD (view my list on my member's site) I would say the Raven- Oscar goes to John.He brought me to tears.Need I say anything more?So, the Profumo affair really was a storm in a tea-cup used to sell newspapers, but the collateral damage claimed a guy who was caught up in the middle of it, the likely scapegoat. A head had to roll, and there was this social gadfly who all could be dumped on. John gave a magnificent performance as Steven Ward, and I felt like I was watching helplessly.It's years later, I haven't seen it in a long time, but the news of John Hurt's death early this year also kept the movie in mind.Highly recommended. Highly indeed. This is a truly praise-worthy flick.Do I think any of you would be misled by this review? If you want to see a movie about a real-life sex scandal, THIS IS THE ONE. If you want to see an award-worthy acting performance, JOHN HURT in SCANDAL.Overlooked. People wouldn't look past the naughty bits.John Hurt, I salute you. Respect! Awe!

If "Scandal" (1989) was not a fairly accurate recounting of Britain's John Profumo Affair, the characters and events would be too weird to be considered plausible fiction. Defense Minister Profumo's attempt to refute allegations of his involvement with Christine Keeler ultimately brought down the 10 year Conservative Party government back in the mid-1960's. "Scandal recreates these events and gives the viewer a glimpse into the personalities and possible motives of the main players in this political soap opera.But recreating history is a secondary consideration in this film whose theme is about individuals who live in a fairy tale world until they fall victim to the grim forces that take life more seriously. The main player is Stephen Ward (John Hurt), a osteopath and recreational artist whose main goal is to be part of the right crowd, not so much immersed in this kind of society as in a position to observe it closely for his amusement. His method for doing so involves discovering ravishing young women from the poor side of town and doing a Henry Higgins number on them. The film begins with his discovery of Keeler (Joanne Whalley) who he begins grooming and introducing to prominent members of his in-crowd. The two soon fall in love, but theirs is not a physical relationship. Stephen delights in seeing his protégé work her magic on men in authority. This eventually leads to their doom, since no one quite understands such an unconventional relationship they have no credibility when an attempt is made to make Stephen a scapegoat for the government scandal.In retrospect the process of attacking Ward to contain the widening scandal was one of the two most shameful abuses of the judicial system in post war Britain. Coincidentally Hurt played the victim in the other one as well; "10 Rillington Place" (1971), in which Hurt is wrongly executed for a murder committed by his landlord, the now notorious serial killer John Christie."Scandal" is a powerful and arresting film with solid performances. Whalley has the biggest role and is a bit too intelligent looking to be completely believable as a character like Keeler. But she is so nice to look at that almost anyone would willingly trade credibility for scenery-and she is otherwise entirely convincing in an excellent performance. I first noticed her in "Willow", the film she made just before "Scandal". She had a secondary part but her scenes were the most memorable in the entire film. Hurt somehow sells you on the fact that his character derives an innocent joy from simply seeing a beautiful young woman walking down the street on a nice day.Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

I wont go into detail regarding the plot however the film is based on actual events in the early 1960's regarding the illicit affair of war minister Jack Profumo and teenage party-girl Christine Keeler..I watched the film last night on British TV and was fortunate to see the longer 114 minute version..with more substance added to the scenes between Christine and Mandy-Rice Davies and longer speeches from other characters including the police man interrogating Christine...this fleshed out version was much better than the video version i saw years ago..the feel and look of the film is stunning..soundtrack excellent..and the performances very moving and under-rated..it amazes me that Joanne Whalley hasn't done more work since this film..she is wonderfully seductive and naive as Christine,and Bridget Fonda is cunning and striking as Mandy-Rice Davies..and off course John Hurt turns in yet another incredible performance!..One Question...WHY HAS'NT THIS BRILLIANT AND CLASSIC FILM BEEN RELEASED ON DVD IN THE U.K..and yet it has in America!??