CO-ED CALLGIRLS

US, 1996, 95 minutes, Colour.
Tori Spelling, Scott Plank, Susan Blakely.
Directed by Michael Rhodes.

Co-Ed? Callgirls is a sensationalist name for what is essentially a moral fable, directed towards the American television audience. Set in a rather glamorous California, the film makes the contrast between ordinary university students, earning their living in cake shops, with the high life of the escort service. The temptations are presented and the heroine succumbs, especially because of the affirmation of her as a person and for her self-image. However, she comes to realise that she does not want to live this kind of life. Pressurised, their is a violence reaction and a subsequent court case. This gives the opportunity to show both the glamour of the escort life as well as the growing demands and domination by, especially, the men who run the business. It also gives an opportunity for the reaffirmation of American values, family and home.

The film is glossy, contrived for television style and for the television audience - its sentiment and its less sophisticated style may make it an easy moral fable for the average television audience.

1.The impact of this kind of American telemovie? The blend of glamour and realism? A moral fable, a warning?

2.California, Joanna's world, the university, the cake shop, home? The contrast with the beach homes, the hotels, the glamorous dresses and jewellery, the world of the escort service?

3.The title and its tone?

4.The portrait of Joanna, studying, her friendships? Her relationship with her mother, her dead father, lack of self image? Working in the cake shop? The joke about the callgirls? The approach by Kimberley, her succumbing, being affirmed by Ron and Andy? Going out, the glamour? Being offered the money, her initial reaction? Her accepting it? The decision and her motivation? Her going out, Kimberley and the dresses, the clients? Her not liking some of the clients and her reaction? Pressure from Ron? Pressure from Kimberley? Her decision to stay on? Her relationship with her mother, the tension, the flatmates? Her friendship with Jack, a good man, his hopes, her love for him? Keeping him at a distance? The confrontation with the client? Her wanting to get out, the confrontation with Ron, his holding the gun to her, shooting him? Her lies, her shame with her mother, in prison, lying to the lawyer? Her eventually telling the truth, the cross-examination and her confession, the reconciliation and hope for the future?

5.Ron, Andy, and the pimps with the escort service, seeing it as a business, exercising charm, exercising dominance, the attempted rape, the gun and the shooting? Ron's behaviour in the witness box, the revelation of his sleazy background?

6.Kimberley and her philosophy of life, ease, attitude towards sex, money? Recruiting, putting pressure on Joanna?

7.The range of clients, charm, brutality? Ron's sending her to the sleazy motel as a punishment?

8.Jack, a decent young man, legal hopes, his devotion to Joanna, hurt, supporting her, helping her with the trial, a future?

9.Her mother, hard work, the widow, being demanding on her daughter? Not realising what was going on? Her reaction to the truth, the visit to the prison, to the lawyer, taking her side? Supporting her in the court, her being vindicated in the court?

10.The background world of the university, classes, assignments, professors? The contrast with the glamorous world - different clothes, hair styles, jewellery? Manner?

11.This kind of film as titillating with the title, drawing its audience in - and then turning it into a moralising story for traditional values?