The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington

Director William Levy's film based upon the exploits of Xaviera Hollander and from an insightful script by screen veteran Robert Kaufman. A cultural touchstone of America's Sexual Revolution, this film features an all star cast, including George Hamilton and Ray Walston in excellent supporting roles. It is, however, Joey Heatherton who gives what is nothing less than the performance of a lifetime as The Happy Hooker. She is superb in the role, funny, bright, engaging, and stunningly sexy. There is also subtle pathos in her work, reflecting a certain existential uncertainty that she artfully brings to her portrayal. This is indeed Ms. Heatherton's film and certainly her talent that overall sustains it. It also is an important statement regarding profound changes in the moral view of a nation and an incisive look into a time of massive societal transformations. An under-appreciated and often overlooked film, this remains one of the landmark motion pictures of the era.

I'm not sure how this gets such a low rating. Only 2.1? I've seen a LOT of worse movies. This one actually has a plot, some lighthearted humour, and (if you like them) lots of breasts. Not a great film, but not bad either. And I think it has a lot to say about our current times, not just the era it is from. This movie could not be made today because nobody with a recognizable name would dare be in it. I recognize there are serious films today that even go so far as to include actual sex to make their points, but nothing is as satirical as this, nothing pokes fun at those who need to be poked at. There are also films like A Dirty Shame which try to be funny, but they all seem to fail because they don't really believe in their own premise, and pull back. Anyway, I found this film enjoyable and refreshing.

Forrest was right, this movie is a real gem. A diamond waiting to be unearthed by real movie fans. The performance by Joey Heatherton is so on target, it is a shame that it was overlooked by the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences. The supporting performances deserve equal attention! Why were there no sequels ever made? This is a real moneymaker!

Happy Hooker Goes to Washington (1977) was the best of the "Happy Hooker" trilogy (but that's not saying much). This time around, "The Happy Hooker" is portrayed by Joey Heatherton (who's steaming hot in this picture and the best of the bunch). This time around the "World's famous Madame" takes her act to Washington D.C. There she meets one of Hollywood's top ten mack-daddies, Mr. George Hamilton who co-stars as a Washington insider.

The film tries not to be sexy or "adult" but more campy. Joey Heatherton looks good and makes a very welcomed screen presence. The movie is okay. It's not great by any means but it's a definite improvement over the first film. The film (like

many during this time period) is extremely dated and doesn't hold very well over the past twenty some odd years. Great film if you're in the mood for some campy fun. Other than that I wouldn't go out of my way looking for a copy. The final chapter to the Happy Hooker trilogy is "The Happy Hooker goes to Hollywood".

Recommended for fans of the genre or for Happy Hooker completists.

B

The world's most famous madame (Joey Heatherton) is called to Washington to testify before Congress.

If you are looking for a high-class film or something artsy, you might want to look or something that does not include "happy hooker" in the title. This is basically one tasteless joke after another, and an ongoing parade of topless women. (Not many nude men, but that just goes to show you what was considered acceptable in the 1970s.) This seems like a good movie to watch with some friends and get drunk with. By no means do I think it deserves the low rating it has on IMDb. While not a great movie, it is too harsh to call it a bad movie.