French Dressing

Ken Russell's first feature film is a slight comedy about a stodgy British resort. Gormleigh-by-the-Sea is a holiday community besotted with dullness. But things liven up when Jim (James Booth), a young deck-chair attendant, convinces the local entertainment director and mayor into starting a film festival. The town convinces an ambitious French actress to be the star of the festival. What happens after that is a series of near disasters -- including the failure of a Nudist Beach and a riot at a film premiere. It is left to Jim's American journalist girlfriend (Alita Naughton) to save the situation and the reputation of the town. This first feature for film-director Ken Russell, French Dressing was neither indicative of his future controversial projects nor was it auspicious of his directorial ability. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi