Twinky (1972)

From my favorite movies..

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

I thought I knew just about everything about Charles Bronson and then I found out about this film. Bronson plays a 38 yr old writer of porno and seduces/falls in love with a 15 year old named Twinky (played well by Susan George). This sounded like a skit from Saturday Night Live, except Saturday Night Live wasn't around yet. Since this movie was filmed in 1969, Bronson was actually 48 and George 19 at the time of filming. And boy are they mismatched.There is nothing really great about the story. Its just unbelievable seeing Bronson being affectionate, kissing Twinky, caring, putting up with an adolescent, and loving. I've never seen Bronson like this and never known him to be a romantic lead. I would love to know what Susan George thought of Bronson while filming this. Bronson shows more emotion and has more lines than I recall from any other movie he's done. And seeing him kiss the girl numerous times thru out the movie never stopped amazing me. This movie is worth the watch just to see a completely different Bronson!

Sexy schoolgirl Susan George hops off her bicycle and jumps into bed with muscular Charles Bronson, the older author of the erotic literature she's been reading. And, to quote of his books, "Their bodies fused in a tangle of heat…" Like reading, you have to imagine those scenes, though... Well, the couple have problems. For one thing, she can't cook. But, more importantly, she's sixteen and he's thirty-eight. Since this constitutes statutory rape, they have a problem. Will these crazy London lovebirds work it out? The co-starring couple are a serious mismatch; mostly due to Mr. Bronson's performing style, they are never believable as a couple. Consequently, Ms. George's attempt to throw out a Lauren Bacall line - "If you want me, just whistle" - simply bounces off Bronson; on Humphrey Bogart, it stuck. Otherwise, this isn't one of the worst films ever made. John Scott and Jim Dale give it a breezy "Georgy Girl"-like soundtrack, the supporting cast works, and George looks thoroughly sexy riding her bike in those mini-skirts.**** Twinky (1/6/70) Richard Donner ~ Susan George, Charles Bronson, Orson Bean, Trevor Howard

**SPOILERS** Having fallen head over heels for American writer Scott Waldman, Charles Bronson, 16 year-old London school-girl Lola, Susan George,initiates a love affair with the much older man that goes from puppy love to a full-fledged affair to marriage and then finally to the sad realization that their relationship wasn't meant to be; and then have the two go their own separate ways as the movie ends.Charles Bronson in a role that you'd never expect him to be in is both sensitive and touching, which is a Herculean task on his part, as 39 year old writer Scott Wardman. And young and leggy Susan George, who was 18 at the time, is also both touching and delightful as Lola as the two turn heads every were they go in the movie from London to New York City. Scott who's really not at first in love with the very frisky and overbearing Lola falls for her more out of not wanting to hurt Lola feelings then anything else. Scott even leaves his what seems like fiancé Ursla,Sue Llyod,for the young and perky Lola without as much as a second thought. Lola's parents who at first are shocked with her relationship with an older man and writer of "Adult Novels" later give in and give the two their consent to marry. Before you know it the two lovebirds are married in Glasgow Scotland and off to New York City to meet Scott's parents, who are about to get the shock of their lives, and live together as man and wife.In the Big Apple things start to unwind when it becomes obvious that Lola isn't exactly the woman that Scott is willing to spend the rest of his life with. Lola soon also realizes that she's a burden on both Scott's work as a writer and his social life.Partying and attending high school is not exactly the life that Scott, who's very introverted, expected with his wife Lola and he's torn between breaking up and staying with her. Scott fears that a breakup would lead to her killing herself and staying married would have him, as well as Lola, be miserable for the rest of their lives. It's in the end that Lola is the one to end the relationship by leaving Scott a "Dear John" letter on her blackboard, as well as her pet black cat "Mouse" for him to take care of. As she left for London to get back to the life she left when she fell in love with him. Not as bad or corny as you might at first thought "Lola" treats the relationship between the much older Scott and the teeny bop-per Lola much better and honest than you would have expected from that kind of a movie. The movie does it with both sensitively and care not with sleaze and sensationalism. The movie also has, besides Charles Bronson and Susan George, an all star cast that you also wouldn't expect from a low-budget and unknown film like it with Honor Blackman and Michael Craig as well as Paul Ford and Key Medford as Lola's and Scott's parents. There's also the very talented but rarely seen in motion pictures Orsen Bean as Scott's best friend and family lawyer Hal and look for a very young Jill Ireland, who was later to become Mrs. Charles Bronson, as an extra at the airport in the movie.

Miniskirt fans, this is for you! It's 1969, and we're watching a precocious Susan George in schoolgirl miniskirts, happily chatting away, burning breakfasts and generally being a teen, while Charles broods, and wanders through this flick, like he doesn't quite know how to handle a chick that's old enough to be his daughter. This is an update on the Lolita theme but has none of the sexual tension of Nabokov. Simply, a great flick if you like to fantasize about hooking up with a babe 20 years younger than you. Unfortunately, the version produced by "Passion Productions" (where did they get THAT name???), is of murky quality; if you find another (even the VHS version has to be better!), buy it. I think a better flick was the one with William Holden. At least he had FUN!