Personal Services (1987): cast, story & where to watch
1987 · Film · ★ 6
Released in 1987, Personal Services is a comedy film directed by Terry Jones, running about 105 minutes. “The future lies in kinky people” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. The story of the rise of a madame of a suburban brothel catering to older men, inspired by the real experiences of Cynthia Payne. The story follows Christine Painter as the down-at-heel waitress who, with the help of prostitute Shirley and cross-dressing Wing Commander Morten, seeks to up her earnings by turning her suburban home into a brothel. Before long she and her girls are chaining up judges, spanking Generals and attending to the needs of Honourable Members. Christine sees herself as providing a vital service to these harmless pervs and when finally the house is busted and the case comes to court, it's fair to say that the presiding judge isn't unfamiliar with her work.
Who’s in it. Personal Services stars Julie Walters as Christine Painter, Shirley Stelfox as Shirley, Alec McCowen as Wing Commander Morten and Danny Schiller as Dolly, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, Personal Services has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $1.7M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Personal Services page.
If you liked it. Fans of Personal Services tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Personal Services (1987)?
- In US, Personal Services is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Personal Services worth watching?
- Personal Services holds an audience score of 6.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Personal Services?
- Personal Services stars Julie Walters, Shirley Stelfox, Alec McCowen, Danny Schiller and Tim Woodward.
- When was Personal Services released?
- Personal Services was released in 1987, with a runtime of about 105 minutes.