A Couple of Beauties

A COUPLE OF BEAUTIES is the final directed effort of Francis Searle, a gentleman with a predilection for churning out B-movie after B-movie over some thirty years of his career. He finished his career making various short films, the last of which I watched, A HOLE LOT OF TROUBLE, was a disappointing rip-off of that classic THE PLANK.

Sadly, A COUPLE OF BEAUTIES is even more disappointing, a short film that lacks even the most basic of plotting or narrative structure. Sure, it begins promisingly enough with a few sub-crime elements, before turning into a showcase for forgotten northern drag act Bunny Lewis. We watch Lewis go through various minor scrapes and perform on stage, and if you're interested in the northern drag scene in the early '70s, then this might be for you.

If you're not, then like me you'll struggle. A brief, almost wordless cameo from the infamous Bernard Manning does nothing to lift the viewer's spirits. I suppose this holds some kind of historical value as a cinema verite piece but it comes as no surprise that it sank without trace as it holds very little of value for the modern audience.