Lipstick (1976)

Such a frustrating disappointment

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Excellent, a Must See

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I saw this film in the cinema when I was young and impressionable. Having watched it again now I am old and cynical I recognise it for what it truly is, a propaganda document. The Nazis were big on this, they made one film that portrayed Jews as rats; of course, none but true believers are ever convinced by such blatant dishonesty, or are they? "Lipstick" uses a slightly - but only slightly - more subtle form of propaganda; a top fashion model is the victim of a brutal rape in her own apartment by a man she has invited in for reasons totally unrelated to sex. The end of the rape is witnessed partially by her younger sister, with whom she lives. She contacts the police immediately after the assault, during which she is also sodomised, in fact she does everything she should, but the jury acquits the perpetrator ostensibly because of her lifestyle.She is warned early on by the cynical prosecutor that in court the defense lawyer will try to terrify, degrade, control and humiliate her, which he does. Furthermore, there are "only" ten thousand rapes reported annually in California out of fifty thousand, and the chance of him doing time is 2%. What a total crock.In case you don't recognise any of the above, it is the feminist rape narrative. How does the DA's office or anyone "know" there are forty thousand unreported rapes in California every year? Furthermore, attacking the character of a victim can be extremely dangerous, especially in a rape case. In 1986, the magazine "Private Eye" lost a libel action to Robert Maxwell, a flamboyant and extremely wealthy individual for whom most juries would have had little sympathy, but he broke down in the witness box - giving evidence rather than under cross-examination - and won a massive judgment. Are the tears of an attractive, violated young woman any less prejudicial to a defendant? A woman who might be your sister or even your daughter?The film has a happy ending of sorts when the victim administers summary justice; the ending is rather abrupt, but the point has been made. Don't forget though, this film is only fiction, or perhaps fantasy would be a better word.

Lipstick was just released on DVD and the remastered print in its original widescreen format greatly improves the viewing experience. I had an old VHS copy which was full screen and a bad transfer at that. This DVD release is clear, crisp and has great audio for a 1976 film.I won't rehash the story but will comment on the film itself. The stark depiction of rape on screen was a new thing in 1976 and I think most people were uncomfortable with the subject matter. The film is well produced and it give you a great look back at LA circa 1976. The performances are somewhat uneven but for her first film Margaux gives a pretty good performance, especially in the rape and courtroom scenes. She was a beautiful women who's memory is forever on film. The striking thing about this film is that 35 years later our legal system and the way it treats women has not changed much, most rapes still go unreported and few perps are convicted.The movie has its flaws but it never fails to entertain and it is much better than most films released today. I recommend this film for it's polished glossy feel, gritty realism, courtroom drama and dramatic conclusion. The film holds up well and other than the disco music at the beginning it could just as well be a story told today.Don't listen to the haters on here, rent it or buy it, it's worth having in your collection.

I've never heard or seen what the late Margaux Hemingway thought of her decision to star in this classic Dino Delaurentis "anything for a buck" hack fest, but I'd guess it's regret.If you subtract the horribly slapped together courtroom denouement, tighten up the sometimes hackneyed, over-melodramatic, cliché-ridden script, you're left with a harsh examination of rape and the judicial realities (circa 1976 anyway) of the crime's aftermath.Providing the movie was of a slightly higher grade (it's really not THAT bad a film if you look at it strictly in a technical sense), an established actress who was put through the paces Margaux is here would probably garner an Oscar nomination (think Jodie Foster's performance as a hard-edged working-class girl in "The Accused" --- was that any less graphic and sleazy?). Unfortunately, it's much easier to beat up (no pun intended) on a model with no acting experience.Frankly, I've never thought Margaux's delivery here was bad --- it's natural, and her exchanges with her sister Mariel are believable and touching. Chris Sarandon, though suitably hateful, brings a creepy realism to his wacko music teacher/rapist role, and Anne Bancroft is solid as usual.The biggest problem I've had with this film is it's unequivocal equation of electronic/avant-garde music with a deviant, unbalanced mind. Given that postulate, behind every sex offender therein lies a complete catalog of Tangerine Dream, John Cage, and Hawkwind.

In 1974, moviegoers packed cinemas to watch a Dino De Laurentiis actioner called 'Death Wish,' which had unexpected resonance in America's cities. Building on trends set by the 1971 police film 'Dirty Harry,' this Charles Bronson vehicle asked major questions about how society should fight crime. Through the decade's remaining years, a torrent of similar films were released including 'Lipstick,' a 1976 De Laurentiis project that has been called Death Wish's female offshoot.While not a vigilante drama per se, 'Lipstick' certainly belongs on the menu of films whose characters are violated and rendered helpless. At the time of its release, 'Lipstick' easily brought comparisons to 'Death Wish,' which did no favors to the movie's reputation; critics such as Roger Ebert have trashed it, placing it on a level with 'Ms. .45' and William Lustig's 'Vigilante.' It has been viewed as another knockoff that exploits a serious subject and the performances of its lead cast have been panned. I, however, need to differ on these views; 'Lipstick' is no masterwork and clings to the sensationalism of its time, but it can still be a relevant piece of film-making.Margaux Hemingway, the first model in world history to a sign a million-dollar contract, plays her debut film role as Chris McCormick, a (guess what?) Los Angeles model who is looking after her young sister Kathy (played by real-life sister Mariel). While shooting photos for a lipstick campaign, Chris is introduced to Gordon Stuart (Chris Sarandon), a grammar school music teacher and composer to whom Kathy has taken an innocent shine. Chris naively invites Stuart to their apartment the following afternoon and begins to sense that all is not well with him mentally; besides shifty behavior, his electronically-generated music sounds fresh out of a demented video game. During playback, Chris's phone rings with a male acquaintance and Stuart becomes enraged by her beauty and attractiveness to other men. Chris is groped, beaten, and sexually tortured while fastened with scarves to her bed.Stuart is arrested and put on trial, but the 'justice' system makes things worse for Chris rather than better. She is under constant scrutiny from the press, is forced to relive the experience again while on the stand, and must use her sister Kathy, who walked in after the rape, as a witness. It is only assistant district attorney Carla Bondi (Anne Bancroft), a forceful woman, who supplies her with the hope of a conviction. Instead, Stuart gets off scot-free after Chris is portrayed as a woman who enjoys 'flaunting' her body and engaging in sadomasochism.Because of the violent finale in which Chris seeks revenge, 'Lipstick' has drawn comparisons with 'Death Wish' even though it deals far more with the troubles of a woman who is physically harmed; in 'Death Wish,' Paul Kersey is a male victim through indirect, albeit close, circumstances. 'Lipstick' has also been condemned as exploitation, but that is perhaps only true in the film's second half when David Rayfiel's script begins to fall apart. The initial rape scene is filthy and uses explicit angles of Chris's body, but it shows the depraved act for what it is and how it can reduce a vibrant woman into the object of a man's perversions. 'Lipstick' also does well (at least from a male's perspective) to depict the bitterness and rage such a victim must feel.Unfortunately, 'Lipstick' caves into sensationalism as things progress. An odd thing happens in the later trial scenes, when Kathy is again called to the stand; defense attorney Nathan Cartright (Robin Gammell) instills reasonable doubt in the jury by showing that Kathy was not distressed from seeing Chris and Gordon in bed. Moments later, the jury returns a 'not guilty' verdict. While this is highly possible, Rayfiel's script and Lamont Johnson's direction fail to make it convincing; the movie is fairing superbly until this point.Plot conveniences really take over, such as Chris allowing Kathy to walk around an empty office complex that is somehow visited that day by Gordon Stuart(!) The film ends with Carla Bondi 'leaving' the district attorney's office(!) to defend Chris after she shoots Gordon dead with a hunting rifle. The lackluster writing is a shame, because 'Lipstick' is a film with enduring impact. Even now, women in America are treated horrendously and only a small percentage of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement; there is also a swarm of people who believe that certain women are 'asking for it' when carrying an openness to their sexuality, as if their saying 'no' becomes any less valid.Considering that both were in their debut, Margaux and Mariel Hemingway are excellent in this film. Margaux has been slammed for an over-the-top performance, but it was clearly a role that she worked hard to portray. Of course, she was ideally suited to play a model on film; she was tall, stunningly beautiful, and of a pleasant demeanor. Mariel also shows an easy-going personality and knew - even then - how to perform with subtlety. The supporting cast is fairly good, although Chris Sarandon and Anne Bancroft have their moments of chewing up the set. Aside from its heavy subject matter, 'Lipstick' is quite a beginning for two sisters - one who grew into a star and the other who left us far too soon.'Lipstick' is currently on DVD with minimal treatment from Paramount. The film is in widescreen with Dolby-enhanced mono, optional French dubbing, and optional English subtitles; there are no extras, not even the theatrical trailer. 'Lipstick' is grainy as hell with occasional artifacts, but the print quality is just enough to sense a gloss from its original showing. The disco soundtrack of Michel Polnareff comes across smoothly and the overall audio quality is decent. 'Lipstick' is mostly an afterthought in the broad picture of cinema, but has kept much of its dramatic value intact.** out of 4Roving Reviewer - www.geocities.com/paul_johnr