THE RED LIGHT STING

US, 1984, 96 minutes, Colour.
Beau Bridges, Farrah Fawcett, Harold Gould.
Directed by Rod Holcomb.

The Red Light Sting is based on a series of articles which allege that this episode actually took place. It is a sting, an attempt to trap a notorious businessman gangster in San Francisco.

Beau Bridges plays an FBI agent who is asked to buy a brothel in San Francisco and manage it so that he can lure the gangster in to make extortion demands. While this happens, the gangster finds out the truth and the plan seems to go awry - however, as expected, he is caught. Farrah Fawcett is one of the main prostitutes in the brothel who works with bridges to entrap the criminal. He is played by Harold Gould.

The film is made for the television audience and so is not particularly salacious in tone. The film focuses rather on the plan, the relationship between the agent and the prostitute, the discovery in Washington by a public servant that agents had bought a brothel and the possibility of its being exposed by an ambitious politician. The film is light in tone, even with its serious plot. It is easy entertainment.

1. Impact of the film, true story, FBI and special agents and entrapment? The legal ramifications? Political?

2. The film designed for the wide television audience, its tone in presenting sordid atmosphere and plot? Making it interesting and acceptable for the wide audience? The American city locations, Atlanta, Washington, San Francisco? The use of San Francisco familiar locations? The contrast with the brothel, the mansions and ordinary homes? Agency headquarters? Musical score?

3. The title and audience expectations, the brothel and prostitution? The sting and the scam - entrapment?

4. The focus on Sully, his chauffeur-henchman and his ruthlessness? The murdering of the witness in the park? Sully and his respectable business cover? His alleged personal squeamishness and allowing his chauffeur to do his killings for him? His toughs? Extortion, making demands on brothel owners? His pressure on Frank, the visits, his being fascinated by Frank's refusal to submit, his being challenged? Taking the baits, following up his own investigations? His growing anger, his making demands - but being informed about the truth? His outwitting Frank? Refusing to kill him - not wanting to kill police or special agents? The humiliation of his final entrapment? The brutality of his chauffeur-driver - and the ironic touch of his taking toys for his nephews?

5. Frank and his work, his relationship with Diana, their separate careers? Her staying in Atlanta, the phone calls? Frank and his arrival in Washington, his being reassigned? His bewilderment? His taking on the assignment, going to see the brothel owner in the restaurant, adopting a cheeky style, throwing the money around? The takeover, the encounter with Kathy - and her recognising that he was police? His meeting the girls and their coming on to him? Kathy transforming his clothes, the brothel? His meeting with the girls, giving them advice, especially Sonia and her marriage? His living in the mansion? His being adept at his work, the lure for Sully, the videotape? His reaction to Sully, ignoring him? Humiliating him? Asking time to think? The phone calls? Trying to anger Sully? His own relationship with Kathy, listening to her story, telling his own? His phone calls to Diana and his lying? The picnic, telling his true story, the sexual encounter? The aftermath? Kathy's antagonism? Sully and his arrival, the discovery of the video camera? His going to confront Sully in his own place? Kathy and the antagonism? His following her into the warehouse? The entrapment? The meeting with Diana at the airport, agreement to go their separate ways? His return to Kathy - a future? A plausible portrait of a special agent, given his background, his motivation for joining the force in gratitude to the lady who taught him to overcome his speech impediment? Her background, their being a couple?

6. Kathy, the glamorous prostitute, her sensing that Frank was police? Her advice, antagonism, spending the government money on clothes and decorations? Giving him the mansion? Her sleeping on the couch? Her telling her story? Her reaction to his crass eating styles? Her gradually mellowing, listening to his phone call with Diana? The attack by Sully and wanting information from her? Her feeding him the false information? The picnic, the sexual encounter, the aftermath? Her wanting to protect herself? The clash in the office, the audience believing that Frank misunderstood her? Her going to Sully, the plausibility of her story, the taping and the entrapment? Her future?

7. The ambitious special agents, the bureaus, the discussions, Barton and the offhand plan, putting it into practice, appropriating the money? The legality of the owning of the brothel? The police raid at Sully's instigation and Frank in jail, having to be bailed out by Barton? The ambitions of the top police to achieve arrests?

8. The public servant, the irregularity in the accounts, his own ambitions, his friend, the possibility of promotion, going to the politician, his listening to him? The special agents and their stopping the press conference, the accusation about political corruption for campaigns and the politician believing it? Sully's banker and his friendship with the politician, getting the information about the brothel ownership?

9. Barton and his role, his impersonation of Frank's brother-in-law, leading Sully on?

10. A police thriller, police investigation, offbeat - and the satisfaction of a prominent criminal being brought to justice?