Working Girls

First Run Features Home Video / 1986 / 94 Minutes / Unrated
Street Date: August 21, 2007

Working Girls is a fictional film that feels like a documentary. Want to know about the business side of sex? The film is set in a mid-level Manhattan brothel and takes place during one single day. There is more than enough ancillary content about clean towels, clean linens, and prophylactics. But what’s most involving about the film is the humanity of women who have a love/hate relationship with the men that buy the use of their bodies, and the women’s self-images.

The film is seen overwhelmingly through the experiences of Molly (Louise Smith), an Ivy League college graduate who attracts men that can appreciate her intellect as well as her body. (Although I’m not sure I understand why she didn’t leverage her education into a more long-term career.) She’s in a lesbian relationship with a lover that does not know how she earns a living. On call that day are Dawn (Amanda Goodwin), who attracts the men who appreciate ample breasts, and Gina (Marusia Zach), who has skills that are in demand. The madam is Lucy (Ellen McElduff), a self-important ex-prostitute who discovered that she can make more money by managing a stable of women than by turning tricks herself.

We watch a succession of men pass though an apartment turned bordello. They have various needs, from the kinky to the weird to simply temporarily salving their loneliness. The film may contain a great deal of simulated sex, but it’s the neediness of the johns and the businesslike conduct and sometimes compassion of the women that capture the attention.

Lizzie Borden wrote the screenplay, co-produced, and directed this little independent film. She researched her subject matter in depth and strove for accuracy. (Hence the documentary feel.) We're immersed in the concerns for safe sex, cleanliness, hygiene, accountability, and the risks of being busted. Each woman has been trained to talk in euphemisms to avoid an arrest. They encourage their clients to become “completely comfortable” in the bedroom, an oblique command to completely undress. The film would suggest that, apparently, a police officer cannot go that far and then make an arrest. When the madam is out, the women are also expected to comport themselves properly over the telephone, encouraging potential clients to make an appointment.

The cast provides performances that range from remarkably natural to self-conscious. Ellen McElduff’s Lucy is consistently over the top. Amanda Goodwin is unconvincing as petulant and perpetually pissed off. Louise Smith as Molly is the most natural and the least obvious player; perhaps that’s why she was given the lead. Her character is always cordial and tolerant of her Johns, even those who are unreasonable. The male actors are almost afterthoughts, and are relegated to minor roles.

With the exception of the opening and closing scenes and Molly’s commuting bike rides through Manhattan, the film is limited to one set. That allowed Borden to keep the budget low (it was shot for a total of only $95,000) without sacrificing too much of the visible production value. She makes her points well, conveying the views of a small group of women who represent the oldest profession in the world.

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film’s theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 is presented in pillar-boxed anamorphic video. The low budget becomes quite clear. The film stock has quite a bit of grain, and the overall appearance is a tad soft. Halos are minor and don’t intrude. Flesh tones are quite natural. Another aspect affects resolution; the film has been authored with the 3:2 pulldown intact on the disc, so there are frames that share different video fields. Contrast, black level, and shadow detail are all reasonable without being outstanding.
The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

The track is in monaural, as might befit a very low budget independent film. The sound seems to have been recorded practically with no subsequent looping. Regardless, the dialog remains quite clean and understandable throughout. Sound effects, deep bass, and surround effects all become non-issues.

There are no alternative languages and no subtitles.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

There are few supplements. We begin with a commentary by director Lizzie Borden, cinematographer Judy Irola, and co-star Amanda Goodwin. This is a surprisingly interestingly track. The artistic intent is discussed. Casting and performances are described. The director’s relationships with her players and what type of shots would be acceptable and were negotiated are discussed. Bordon reveals that no matter how unlikely the nature of the Johns’ demands, they were all based on reality, products of research and interviews with real working girls. There are also technical details described. You’ll find an emphasis on the working details of running a service business.

The theatrical trailer (1:15) is presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic video. And the trailer gallery offers: Live Nude Girls Unite! (1:35), The Bridesmaid (1:45), and Agnes and His Brothers (2:00).

The 94-minute film is organized into twelve chapters.

Exclusive DVD-ROM Features: What happens when you pop the disc into your PC?

There are no DVD-ROM features on this DVD.

Final Thoughts

Working Girls is a clever little film, a candid look at the world of prostitutes and their johns. First Run Features has provided a reasonable transfer that reflects the film’s budget, the audio is as simple as it could possibly be, but the commentary is better than I could have expected.