Eskimo Nell (film)
Encyclopedia
Eskimo Nell, a.k.a. The Ballad of Eskimo Nell a.k.a The Sexy Saga of Naughty Nell and Big Dick , is a 1975 British
film directed by Martin Campbell
and produced by Stanley Long
. Though inspired by "The Ballad of Eskimo Nell
", the movie owes little to the original bawdy song.
) to make a dirty movie based on the poem. However, they run into difficulty when each of the production's backers want a completely different style of film made. Then Murdoch makes off with the money, and the three have to produce four different versions of the movie to keep everybody happy - a gay
Western
, a hardcore porno, a family version and a Kung Fu-style production.
and Lord Longford. While Benny U. Murdoch is loosely based on Tony Tenser
, head of Tigon films. A more obscure figure the film ridicules is Louis “Deke” M. Heyward, the London
representative of AIP (American International Pictures
) who had previously clashed with the film's writer, Michael Armstrong. during the making of Armstrong’s directing debut, The Haunted House of Horror, in 1969. In Eskimo Nell, Heyward is parodied as “Big Dick”, a crass, foul-mouthed American producer from “A.W.P Films”, and the backer of the hardcore porno version. A similar character had previously appeared in Armstrong’s script for The Sex Thief
in 1973.
A pre-fame Mary Millington
, then just a jobbing actress/model using her married name Mary Maxted, has a small role in the film, playing a stripping traffic warden who auditions for a part in the film within a film. Although Millington appears only fleetingly (with her audition speeded up for comic effect), stills from her scene were used to publicize the film in the likes of Titbits and Cinema X
magazine.
The film is not to be confused with Richard Franklin’s 1975 film The True Story of Eskimo Nell
which was released in the UK as “Dick Down Under”. Campbell’s film was re-titled The Sexy Saga of Naughty Nell and Big Dick in Australia
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
film directed by Martin Campbell
Martin Campbell
-Life and career:Campbell was born in Hastings, New Zealand. He directed two James Bond films, 1995's GoldenEye, starring Pierce Brosnan, and 2006's Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig, and was the first Bond director since John Glen to direct more than one film, as well as the oldest director in...
and produced by Stanley Long
Stanley Long
Stanley Long , often known as Stanley A. Long, is a British Exploitation cinema and sexploitation filmmaker. He is a writer, cinematographer, editor, and eventually, producer/director of low-budget exploitation movies....
. Though inspired by "The Ballad of Eskimo Nell
The Ballad of Eskimo Nell
The Ballad of Eskimo Nell is a bawdy rhymed recitation or song that recounts the tale of Deadeye Dick, his accomplice Mexican Pete and a woman they meet on their travels, named Eskimo Nell. In the view of some, Eskimo Nell is in her own way an authentic heroine and, by the yardstick of the...
", the movie owes little to the original bawdy song.
Plot
In Campbell's film, a writer, a producer and a director are hired by seedy erotic film producer Benny U. Murdoch (Roy KinnearRoy Kinnear
Roy Mitchell Kinnear was an English character actor. He is best remembered for playing Veruca Salt's father, Mr. Salt, in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.-Early life:...
) to make a dirty movie based on the poem. However, they run into difficulty when each of the production's backers want a completely different style of film made. Then Murdoch makes off with the money, and the three have to produce four different versions of the movie to keep everybody happy - a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, a hardcore porno, a family version and a Kung Fu-style production.
Cast
- Michael ArmstrongMichael Armstrong (cinematographer)Michael Armstrong is a British writer and directorArmstrong trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and was writing and directing films at the age of 22 with the award-winning short, The Image starring David Bowie and Michael Byrne...
as Dennis Morrison - Terence EdmondTerence EdmondTerence Edmond was an English actor, who played PC Ian Sweet in 78 episodes of Z-Cars between 1962 and 1964....
as Clive Potter - Christopher TimothyChristopher TimothyChristopher Timothy is a Welsh actor, television director and writer. Timothy is possibly best known today for his role as James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small; more recently he has starred as Dr. Brendan 'Mac' McGuire in the British television drama Doctors...
as Harris Tweedle - Roy KinnearRoy KinnearRoy Mitchell Kinnear was an English character actor. He is best remembered for playing Veruca Salt's father, Mr. Salt, in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.-Early life:...
as Benny U. Murdoch - Rosalind KnightRosalind KnightRosalind Knight is an English actress. She was the daughter of actor Esmond Knight and his first wife, Frances Clare and the stepdaughter of actress Nora Swinburne....
as Lady Longhorn - Lloyd LambleLloyd LambleLloyd Nelson Lamble was an Australian actor who worked in theatre, television, radio and film. He lived and worked two-thirds of his life in the United Kingdom .- Personal life :...
as The Bishop - Jonathan AdamsJonathan AdamsJonathan Adams was an English actor, born in Northampton, England.He acted in a number of roles in British TV and film, including the part of Adam in the TV mini-series Jesus of Nazareth, the part of Carter in Nemesis, and the part of Professor Marriott in Yes, Prime Minister.He acted as the...
as Lord Coltwind - Christopher BigginsChristopher BigginsChristopher Kenneth Biggins is an English actor and media personality.-Career:Biggins was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England and brought up in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he took elocution lessons and participated in local drama groups...
as Jeremy - Katy ManningKaty ManningKaty Manning is an English actress best known for her part as the companion Jo Grant in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. She has also made many theatre appearances, and is now a citizen of Australia. She is myopic...
as Hermione - Diane LangtonDiane LangtonDiane Langton is an English actress and singer.She has appeared in numerous TV shows like Only Fools and Horses, where she played Junie, an old girlfriend of Del Boy's, in the 1980s....
as Gladys Armitage - Gordon TannerGordon Tanner-Selected filmography:* Campbell's Kingdom * The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw * The Green Helmet * Where the Spies Are * The Return of Mr. Moto * Caravan to Vaccares...
as Big Dick - Beth PorterBeth PorterBeth Jane Porter, is an American stage, film and television actress and writer, who has worked in Britain for most of her career.-Early life:...
as Billie Harris - Max MasonMax MasonCharles Max Mason was an American mathematician...
as Dave - Christopher NeilChristopher NeilChristopher Neil is a British record producer, songwriter, singer and actor.He has worked with Celine Dion, a-ha, Dollar, Paul Nicholas, Kim Criswell, Morten Harket, Mike + The Mechanics, Johnny Logan, Marillion, The Moody Blues, The Other Ones, Paul Carrack, Rod Stewart, Gerry Rafferty, Cher,...
as Brendan - Richard CaldicotRichard CaldicotRichard Caldicot was a British actor famed for his role of Commander Povey in the BBC radio series The Navy Lark. He also appeared often on television, memorably as the obstetrician delivering Betty Spencer's baby in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em.His father was a civil servant and he attended Dulwich...
as Ambrose Cream
Background
Many of the film's characters are based on real personalities of the time, Lady Longhorn and Lord Coltwind — the backers of the wholesome family version — are thinly veiled caricatures of Mary WhitehouseMary Whitehouse
Mary Whitehouse, CBE was a British campaigner against the permissive society particularly as the media portrayed and reflected it...
and Lord Longford. While Benny U. Murdoch is loosely based on Tony Tenser
Tony Tenser
Tony Tenser was an English-born film producer of Lithuanian-Jewish descent. He specialised in producing Exploitation film movies and founded his own production company Tigon British Film Productions in 1966, which also made more mainstream films such as Witchfinder General and other horror films...
, head of Tigon films. A more obscure figure the film ridicules is Louis “Deke” M. Heyward, the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
representative of AIP (American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
) who had previously clashed with the film's writer, Michael Armstrong. during the making of Armstrong’s directing debut, The Haunted House of Horror, in 1969. In Eskimo Nell, Heyward is parodied as “Big Dick”, a crass, foul-mouthed American producer from “A.W.P Films”, and the backer of the hardcore porno version. A similar character had previously appeared in Armstrong’s script for The Sex Thief
The Sex Thief
The Sex Thief is a 1973 British sex film starring David Warbeck, Diane Keen and Christopher Biggins. It was an early film credit for director Martin Campbell....
in 1973.
A pre-fame Mary Millington
Mary Millington
Mary Millington was a British model and pornographic actress. She has been described as one of the "two hottest British sex film stars of the seventies", the other being Fiona Richmond....
, then just a jobbing actress/model using her married name Mary Maxted, has a small role in the film, playing a stripping traffic warden who auditions for a part in the film within a film. Although Millington appears only fleetingly (with her audition speeded up for comic effect), stills from her scene were used to publicize the film in the likes of Titbits and Cinema X
Cinema X
Cinema X was a British film magazine best known for its coverage of sexploitation films. Early issues of the magazine were undated, but it is believed the first issue was published in 1969. The first film to grace the cover of Cinema X was Loving Feeling directed by Norman J. Warren...
magazine.
The film is not to be confused with Richard Franklin’s 1975 film The True Story of Eskimo Nell
The True Story of Eskimo Nell
The True Story of Eskimo Nell is a 1975 Australian comedy film produced, directed, and written by Richard Franklin, and starring Max Gillies as Deadeye Dick and Serge Lazareff as Mexico Pete...
which was released in the UK as “Dick Down Under”. Campbell’s film was re-titled The Sexy Saga of Naughty Nell and Big Dick in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.