Sextette (1978)

Wonderful Movie

Undescribable Perfection

Absolutely Fantastic

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

This film was mediocre at best. Ms. West was at her best during the early part of her career. This was her mostly self funded swan song. Some of her friends were asked to and accepted parts in order to salvage a so so screenplay and somewhat better original play penned by Ms. West.It had its moments but thats about it Further interest was peaked when I read a review dated 2006 from someone who not only gave it a "10", but for a better word drooled over Ms. West for most of his review. He also stated that she was not just one of but "the greatest actress of all time". What?????. I believe he needs to get out of the house more often.

Mae West was, and still is, an icon. She had a swagger and a gift for naughty double entendres that both titillated and outraged the American public. She was a person who was not above using her feminine wiles to her advantage and she did all of this in her early forties at a time when Hollywood was even more unforgiving to middle-aged actresses. Even now, nearly a century after she burst onto the scene, her influence can still be seen in the likes of Madonna, Gwen Stefani and Cristina Aguilera.However, by the time she made "Sextette," she was well over eighty and still trying so hard to be "Mae West" that she had devolved into a parody of herself. Decked out in a giant platinum blonde wig, slathered with enough makeup to attend her own funeral and long, bodice-covering dresses obviously meant to hide the ravages of time on her body and her increasing waistline, this was not Mae West. This wasn't even the same Mae West who appeared in "Myra Breckenridge" eight years earlier. This was some two-bit drag queen's impersonation of Mae West. Apparently, even the director for this film knew it too, as he bathed her in enough soft white light to make Barbara Walters envious.You can argue all day long about whether a woman of such advanced age has a right to think of herself as sexy or whether or not the rumors about her using earpieces or being wheeled around the set are true, but the fact is, she just doesn't have it anymore in this film and it is just painful to watch. She has noticeable trouble moving, some of her lines seem off, and all of her songs are either obviously lip-synched or spoken-word numbers where she doesn't have to exert herself trying to sing. The fact that she has men young enough to be her grandchildren fawning over her only highlights the cognitive dissonance between who Mae West thinks she is and who she actually is.The plot for this movie is ridiculous and doesn't pretend to be serious, so I won't go into much detail, just that Marlo Manners' (Mae West's character, as if it really matters) honeymoon night with her sixth husband (Timothy Dalton, would you believe) is mercifully interrupted by a parade of past ex-husbands, movie shoots, and world peace talks that have stalled because one of the ex-husbands is involved and wants one more night of passion with our geriatric sexpot before he'll make nice with the rest of the world's leaders.Also there's a missing cassette tape that Marlo doesn't want anyone to get their hands on despite the fact that she was using it to record her autobiography. If you don't want people knowing about your past exploits, why would you record an autobiography? Why would you record them period? The plot only exists to build up Mae West as a memetic sex goddess anyway, so who cares? I won't go into the acting too much either, except that Timothy Dalton does a surprisingly good job considering he's playing a man who's anxious to get into an octogenarian's pants. West herself seems to have lost her comedic timing in her old age which does lend some plausibility to the earpiece urban legend. Other standouts include a cardboard Russian stereotype played by Tony Curtis, a cardboard mobster played by George Hamilton and a cardboard camp gay fashion designer played by… Keith Moon? Other bizarre casting choices include Ringo Starr as a prima donna film director and yet another ex-husband and Alice Cooper as a singing bellboy in a horrible wig that makes Mae West look good by comparison.And that brings us to the next point: this movie is a musical… even better, a DISCO musical! This just wouldn't be a 70's period piece without bad musical numbers, now would it? The musical selection ranges from bad to hilariously bad from the opening number where Mae West's ego is massaged by a choir who declare her to be a "living dream" and compare her to Venus de Milo to Miss West mumbling her way through a disco-fied update of "Baby Face." The bellboys pay tribute to Marlo as she arrives to her hotel with a song-and-dance rendition of "Hooray for Hollywood" that comes off as a big lipped alligator moment due to how poorly set up it is and finally, we have the "duet" between West and Dalton of "Love Will Keep Us Together". I use the term "duet" loosely as Dalton caterwauls through most of the song while West occasionally wakes up just long enough to mumble a few words here and here.Mae West wanted so badly to prove that she still had it by making "Sextette," but proved just the opposite instead. She was already in such bad shape that she would only live for two more years. However, despite the horrifying train wreck that this movie is, a part of me can't help but admire having the chutzpah to declare oneself sexually desirable at an age when most people are wiling away their days in a nursing home. I can't decide whether to be appalled or inspired when watching this movie.Maybe it's both.

Some people have gone to great lengths to belittle and to insult Sextette and its stars, and their performances. To be honest, I think the only reason that they have done this is because of the ageism inherent in mainstream culture; they find it impossible to accept that a person over a certain age can still be sexually active and lively.Such is the case with Mae West, who looks incredible for her age (mid-80s at the time of filming!), and who plays Marlo Manners, siren of the silver screen. Never once is it said that she is supposed to be some kind of twentysomething, nor would it be logical to assume. She wasn't that age at the height of her popularity! The script itself pokes fun at everything, and Marlo as a character is not exempt to this. Many people who have seen Sextette seem simply to have missed this fact, probably because they were determined from the outset to dislike the film.It's actually quite funny and very entertaining, and there are some poignant moments. I beg to differ with some of the reviews that insist that poignance is out of place -- in fact, there are a few instances in the film where it's clear that is what is supposed to happen. It's mostly laughs and silly, mildly naughty fun, and wickedly clever. But at the same time, there are points where the viewer is moved a little by the circumstances. Just a little. But it's there. And it is always impossible, regardless of that, to ignore or dismiss the fact that this was Mae's last film, her farewell to her fans, giving them a last hurrah to make them smile. That makes it even more special.One cannot help but wonder that some of the comments made by Marlo reflected that Mae intended for this to be her last film from the start and decided simply to go out with a bang -- double-entendre intended! Surrounded by handsome and capable male co-stars, all giving enjoyable performances, who wouldn't be pleased? It's a nice legacy, even if it wasn't She Done Him Wrong. It's certainly better than having her last appearance be the abysmal, homophobic Myra Breckinredge, which she was extremely unhappy at being a part of, even if she was the only good part.The costumes seem to support this, with their emphasis on fabulous finery of classic Hollywood. It's not like this was an accident. She would not have looked as stunning in the fashions of 1978 (which, to be honest, were rather atrocious), and there is nothing wrong with dressing in a style that suits rather than a style that happens to be popular at the time. She stands out, with her 'retro' elegance, which adds to the unique character.People do get older. It's ridiculous that some people compare her appearance in Sextette to appearances forty years previous. Her confidence and wit are still there, and she lights up the screen every time she is on it, despite the strength of the supporting cast. At her age in Sextette, she was more than amusing, more than convincing, and more than capable. So she was a little slower-moving, a little less youthful and energetic, than she was forty years ago. Most people would be severely challenged to be half that capable in the same situation, acting or no! Sextette is a film that amuses and entertains, and that is a rarity now. It was a rarity even in 1978, when it was released. So many films and filmmakers, actors as well, forget that they are supposed to entertain. But Sextette is amusing throughout, and it is a film that I cannot dislike. People need lighthearted laughs, and Sextette has plenty of those. The wit in the script is tops, and it never crosses the line into anything tacky. It may not be an award-winning film, but who cares? Awards are largely meaningless. The important thing is to entertain and to amuse, and that is what Sextette does in abundance. Some people just need to dismount their high horses and remember what cinema is supposed to be in the first place.Sextette is fun for most audiences. It occupies a proud position in my video library.

One of the first Mae West films I ever saw was Myra Brekenridge. The film was OK up to a point but when Miss West enters the auditioning for leading men only.....I was mesmerized. I couldn't believe she was pushing eighty (assuming her birth year was 1890ish). From that point on I was determined to find Sextette. Fortunately, the video store purchased a copy for me. It was a pretty good film the first few times I saw it, but then I began to study it. There were a few scenes I saw that made me pause. It seemed that she had to be cued to say her lines. Usually when a flash bulb went off. For example, the the hotel lobby scene, when she says "well, if it wasn't my wedding night, you'd have a deal". Look for the flash just before the line is said. Another example was during the song "Hooray for Hollywood" It appears that Timothy Dalton has to really tug on her to get her to follow him. After closer examination, I think she sees an opening in the crowd, so she may have thought that was where she was supposed to go. Timothy REALLY tugs on her to get her to follow. Other than that, it is a film that will be cherished by her fans, for whom it was made. Still a good view.