The Look of Love

My name's Paul Raymond.

Welcome to my world of erotica.

- 30?

- Yes.

- 39?

- Yes.

- 50?

- Yes.

- 55?

- Yes.

Why do you buy so

many houses, Grandpa?

They're not houses, they're...

they're shops, restaurants, offices...

cafes, clubs.

But why so many?

I bought them for

your mummy.

For your mummy and...

you and your little sister.

Give him space.

Please, move away.

Can you give him some room, please?

Thank you.

- Mr Raymond!

- Paul.

- Paul!

- Mr Raymond.

What can you tell us

about your daughter?

Debbie had all the money in the world.

She had a beautiful house,

beautiful children,

beautiful cars.

I don't understand it.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

I think we're both quite showy.

We're both quite extrovert

and sort of...

spark each other off in that way.

I certainly, uh, see a

lot of myself in Debbie.

She's a maverick.

Uh, I started out as a performer

and so did Debbie,

and eventually I moved backstage

and Debbie has followed

a similar path.

My name is Paul Raymond.

Please welcome La Cirque Nu de Paris.

That's "nu", not "new".

It's French for "nude".

Come here. Come here.

Come here.

Good boy. Out.

Good boy, out.

Out, steady now.

Steady now. Steady,

Atlas, steady. Steady.

Come on. Come on.

Out. Come on.

Ah!

- Paul, do the curtain.

- Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Get down.

Get down.

- We're not allowed.

- You've got to.

- We're not allowed to move.

- Don't be silly.

Come on, you've got to.

Get down, quick.

Listen to them.

That's fantastic.

Quick, hurry. Open the gate.

The curtain.

Do the curtain.

- It's all right.

- I was so scared.

- Florence, are you all right?

- Oh, yeah, great.

A bloody lion tried to

eat me for dinner.

- Calm down...

- I am not getting back in that cage.

Jim, how bad is it?

Well, the audience liked it.

You can't buy publicity like that.

And they can't prosecute me

because the girls had to move.

- You watch. Tonight we'll be sold out.

- Well, it's all right for you.

I'm the one who's got

to go into the lion's den.

Well, they're not gonna pay

to watch me in a cage.

Oh, I would.

Back, by popular demand,

Atlas the lion and

the amazing Cirque Nu de Paris.

Look at that. Fantastic.

We're in the nationals. Daily Sketch.

It says I was nude.

Does it matter?

No, I wasn't nude.

I most certainly wasn't nude.

I am a choreographer.

I'm Paul Raymond's wife. I'm not a nude.

What would my mother say?

- Well, they can't...

- It's half a page.

They can't just make things up.

Saying I was nude.

I wasn't bloody nude.

I wasn't naked.

I was wearing a G-string.

A G-skin?

A G-string.

It's a form of ladies underwear.

You've been called the

"king of the keyhole shows".

I like to think of myself as the, er...

"king of the glamour shows".

Your shows are refined,

respectable

- and modest?

- Yes.

Well, in that case, surely it is

a compliment for a woman

to be classed as a "nude"?

Paul, do you wish that your wife

hadn't tried to sue the Daily Sketch?

I love my wife and I fully support

her in everything she does.

Although she will have

to pay the legal costs.

Gentlemen, I'd love to stand

around and chat further

but, er, my new members-only

club is opening in Soho,

the heart of London's West End.

Er, now being a private club,

our nudes will move,

dance and express themselves.

Gentlemen of the press are,

of course, welcome.

Once you've paid the 10 shillings

and sixpence membership fee.

If you come along this evening,

you can enjoy a complimentary

glass of champagne. House champagne.

Thank you.

- I thought you handled that very well.

- Thank you.

I hated that lawyer

making me look stupid.

They didn't make you look stupid.

They didn't "make you" look stupid.

You.

- I do hope this is a good idea.

- It's gonna be a great night.

We're a beacon of excellence

in a sea of mediocrity.

Hello, Jean.

How'd it go in court, darling?

- Dreadfully. We lost.

- Oh, yeah? How much you lose?

Uh, it was all money well spent

as far as I'm concerned.

Right.

There's only one thing worse

than being talked about, Jimmy,

and that is not being talked about.

- Do you know who said that?

- No.

Oscar Wilde. Except he

didn't say "Jimmy".

- Wasn't he a queer?

- Yes, he was one of the first.

See you later.

- Hello, sir. How are you?

- Hello, sir.

- I'm all right, how are you?

- Little bit of striptease.

Beautiful, beautiful girls.

One, two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight. And one, two, three...

How's the prettiest

girl in the club?

I don't mean you. I mean...

Hello, squeaky nose.

Have you got a squeaky nose still?

Ooh.

Six seven, eight. Chins.

Two, three, four.

- How's she been?

- She's a beauty. Just like her father.

Excellent. Flattery very

important for a hostess.

And one, two, three, four...

So, are you gonna

squeak my nose?

Well, there might be

squeaking involved.

I can't promise it'll be your nose.

Five six, seven, eight.

And one, two three, four, five, six...

No, no, no. Yeah, yeah.

- Ah, there you are.

- Hello, Paul.

Are we having a party?

Hello, sweetheart.

We're just... We're just

chatting, really.

How are you? You all right?

Tending to your flock, are you?

Yes, everyone seems to be in, er...

you know, good spiritual health.

- Oh!

- Out on the town, girls.

Where is my costume?

I'm gonna wear it for David, I think.

I think there's something

wrong with my zip.

I have a needle and cotton

if you need it.

Girls, I want you all on stage 10

minutes before curtain. Okay?

Oh, Betsy, you've decided

to join us, have you?

I'm sorry, Mrs Raymond,

I missed my bus.

Well, next time you're out.

It's a professional theatre.

- It's not a bloody fish and chip shop.

- Yes, Mrs Raymond.

Uh, lipstick's bleeding.

All right, lots of smiles.

Confident and enjoy.

Thank you.

I ask the girls. I say, you know,

"Don't call me Reverend. Call me Edwyn.

"Forget the dog collar.

Just see me as a friendly face.

"And use that face as...

as... as you wish. "

You know, you shouldn't be in here

unless you're topless.

Now, you save that cheek

for on stage, young lady.

Adam and Eve were naked.

Baby Jesus was naked for the first...

part of his life.

A glass of champagne.

Taittinger.

- To the future.

- To the future.

Paul Raymond's Revue Bar.

To some, a Mecca.

To others, Sodom and Gomorrah.

Ever since it opened in 1958,

people have been

flocking to the club

that has become synonymous

with Soho, sex and sophistication.

Mr Raymond has always

been a pioneer.

Pushing at the boundaries

of what is legal,

occasionally crossing the line.

This has brought him

rich rewards.

His club turns over more than a

quarter of a million pounds a year.

Bravo.

Even as the '60s started to swing,

it seemed people were willing

to pay good money

to see a girl take her clothes off.

Now, with the Lord

Chamberlain abolished,

Paul Raymond faces a new

challenge and a new opportunity.

Legitimate West End theatres

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes