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Working Girls

  • 1986
  • Unrated
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
Working Girls (1986)
A day in the life of several prostitutes in an upscale Manhattan whore house. The film is a stark portrayal of the women prostitutes, the male customers and the motivations of both. Watch as the madam manipulates her "girls". Watch as she answers the phone by saying "Hello John, what's new and different?" Watch as the "johns" try to manipulate the "girls". Part nudie exploitation, part sociological thesis.
Play trailer1:16
1 Video
64 Photos
DocudramaWorkplace DramaDrama

A lesbian college graduate, trying to bankroll her own photography business, works as a high-priced New York City escort.A lesbian college graduate, trying to bankroll her own photography business, works as a high-priced New York City escort.A lesbian college graduate, trying to bankroll her own photography business, works as a high-priced New York City escort.

  • Director
    • Lizzie Borden
  • Writers
    • Lizzie Borden
    • Sandra Kay
  • Stars
    • Louise Smith
    • Ellen McElduff
    • Amanda Goodwin
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    2.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Lizzie Borden
    • Writers
      • Lizzie Borden
      • Sandra Kay
    • Stars
      • Louise Smith
      • Ellen McElduff
      • Amanda Goodwin
    • 19User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
    • 62Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:16
    Trailer

    Photos64

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    Top cast31

    Edit
    Louise Smith
    Louise Smith
    • Molly
    Ellen McElduff
    Ellen McElduff
    • Lucy
    Amanda Goodwin
    Amanda Goodwin
    • Dawn
    Deborah Banks
    • Diane
    Liz Caldwell
    • Liz
    Marusia Zach
    • Gina
    Boomer Tibbs
    • Bob
    Eli Hasson
    • Voice of Hasid
    • (voice)
    Tony Whiting
    • Voice of Gina's Client
    • (voice)
    Richard M. Davidson
    • Jerry
    • (as Richard Davidson)
    Ronald Willoughby
    • John
    Paul Slimak
    • Jay
    Frederick Neumann
    Frederick Neumann
    • Fantasy Fred
    • (as Fred Neumann)
    Patience Pierce
    • Kathy
    Grant Wheaton
    • Robert
    Richard Leacock
    Richard Leacock
    • Joseph
    Martin Haber
    Martin Haber
    • Don
    Carla-Maria Sorey
    • Debbie
    • Director
      • Lizzie Borden
    • Writers
      • Lizzie Borden
      • Sandra Kay
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews19

    6.82.3K
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    Featured reviews

    7preppy-3

    Interesting

    A day in the life of a woman who is a prostitute in a brothel-a very high class brothel. Nothing really happens--her and the other girls sit around and talk and serve clients. The movie does not glamorize prostitution. It shows it as a grueling, painful and demoralizing job. The script is sharp and on-target and most of the performances are good. Not great film, but well-made.
    7Pedro_H

    An interesting and non exploitative look at the modern sex worker.

    Molly is a thirty something college educated sex worker looking for a change of career. However the sex industry seems to have a tight hold over her and her life.

    Lizzie Borden is a committed feminist so the choice of making a film about a subject such a prostitution and sex is not an obvious one. While this is low budget, and some of the sideline acting amateurish, this a film that makes you think and maybe even change your views. While a lot is crammed in to the one day that it covers you get the feeling that is written by someone that has been there and seen it for real.

    The central question is who is exploiting who here? The affluent clients that buys sex is sneered at and joked about ("here comes Fantasy Fred"): but only by women that are either too lazy to do something else or maybe too inefficient to find other work. Or maybe they couldn't stand the pay cut?

    Here we have all types of "working girl" from the college girl to the ageing black girl that is never chosen despite her best efforts. It is not a job everyone can do and the film demonstrates this clearly and without sentiment.

    Molly doesn't even like men in real life - being in a lesbian relationship, but fakes it well. Even doing a lesbian scene with a new girl and then denying her sexuality to her when questioned. Her life is one of a hands-on actress. She is cleverer than most and has "regulars" that chose her for her chat as much as her sex. They even give her their cards hoping that they will become friends in the real world - something that can never be. There is always that old white line.

    I came to this film believing that it would have an agenda, but it doesn't. It asks questions, but it doesn't answer them. Should sex be bought and sold in modern day society? The female brothel owner believes that sex and money are the best things in society so "why not bring them together."

    Molly seems trapped, despite her education and alternative career options. Yes she can do better, but can she make the break? The other girls are, in the main, different in that they know their place - they don't want to rise above it. Her lesbianism probably helps in that she isn't confused as to why a man is having sex with her - but at the same time she is dismissive of them and even claims that the job has helped her to get over her innate "fear of men." She is also not above cheating so she can keep more of the money she makes.

    (In the sex industry stealing is different from stealing in the outside world?)

    This is quite a unique film in that it takes on the subject in cold blood, but it doesn't seek to give any indication as to why men chose this type of sex over - say - masturbation. Nevertheless the boredom and loneliness of the inner city (New York) has to be a factor. Like there isn't one type of client, there isn't really one form of answer.

    I started the film not knowing if Molly was a victim or not and ended up still not knowing. You can make your own mind up, but if she is a prisoner she is a prisoner of the love of the quick-buck that must be hard to break away from in today's high price world. I am glad I am not in her (high heeled) shoes now, then or anytime...
    7theognis-80821

    A Night At the Office

    This documentary-like look at the life of a New York City brothel featured several amateur actors and one noteworthy professional: Ellen McElduff, who plays the officious madam. The primary character, "Molly," is attractive, sedate, sensible Louise Smith. The comings and goings of the johns include their personal requests, the most common of which is to meet outside the brothel, which Molly always deftly declines. Richard Leacock, the great documentarian and educator, appears as one of her clients, no doubt an inspiration to Lizzie Borden, who concerned herself with making an honest film about a subject, often glamorized or made maudlin in commercial cinema.
    9filmbuff1974

    Surprisingly engaging and unbiased .

    Molly is an over educated lesbian who works as a prostitute in order to save up enough money to start her own business. Her coworker prostitutes she works with have various other reasons for getting into this line of work. The johns are mostly upscale and have their own individual idiosyncrasies that are for the most part amusing. The director of the film is a feminist named Lizzie Borden. I expected a very biased treatment of this subject because of her gender politics but she was surprisingly fair and unbiased in her treatment. Despite some average acting the characters are so fascinating and dialog so engaging that the film had my attention all throughout which says much because there are many higher budgeted films with very large budgets and top talent that covered the same subject and not nearly as well. Working Girls is a good film and well worth a look.
    8lasttimeisaw

    Cinema Omnivore - Working Girls (1986) 7.9/10

    "Most refreshingly, WORKING GIRLS earnestly but also playfuly takes the stigma off the oldest profession, Borden shows stimulating rapport among the girls, albeit their manifold colorations, uncouth or soft-spoken, frigid or wide-eyed, they might not be each other's best friends after hours, but internecine competition is nonexistent among them whereas sisterhood prevails and they do not stint on camaraderie. It is also awkwardly funny when Molly has to hide her sapphic predilection from a new girl in a girl-on-girl show, who is mortally averse to lesbianism. Indeed, it is through those small vignettes Borden excellently gives us a capsule view of the sign of its times: homophobia, racism (a black girl cannot earn as much as her pale-skinned coworkers, even a black customer is prone to stiff a girl of his own race, the humiliation feels lacerating), and most stirringly, the male chauvinism that is the canker incubates our society's inveterate inequity, and also the unique connection between a prostitute and her clients, it doesn't necessarily be exclusively carnal, interpersonal communication burgeons among human beings every nook and cranny. Borden's overarching critique is on point, totally honest and prescient."

    read my full review on my blog: Cinema Omnivore, thanks.

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The MPAA objected strongly to the scene where Molly is trying to insert her diaphragm but the scene was kept in as the film ultimately went out unrated.
    • Quotes

      Lucy: What's new and different?

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Over the Top/84 Charing Cross Road/Death Before Dishonor/Working Girls (1987)

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    FAQ19

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 20, 1987 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Chicas de Nueva York
    • Filming locations
      • Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Alternate Current
      • New York State Council on the Arts
      • The National Endowment for the Arts
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $300,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,777,378
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,777,378
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33m(93 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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