Search - Sextette on DVD

I AM BAFFLED

G. Bradley | United States | 01/29/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, baffled as to why so many people on the web have reviewed this film with such hostility and sadistic glee. It seems the biggest complaints against this movie is that #1)Mae West was in her eighties when she made it. Not one reviewer can honestly say that she looked more than in her late fifties in Sextette. Remember that she was in her forties at the height of her career, not a huge discrepancy. #2)Her waistline doesn't exist. Not only is that an exaggeration, but she was never slender to begin with, so her extra pounds should come as no surprise. #3) The script is bad. Well it's only bad if you're comparing it to Citizen Kane. This is supposed to be fun, vain silliness, and it is. Mae West and Dom Deluise are hilarious, and Timothy Dalton, Ringo Starr, and Tony Curtis really seem to be enjoying themselves and giving it their all. I loved all the cameos; the chemistry amongst the entire cast is magic, surprising when one considers that West reportedly disliked most of the choices. Yes, the duet was corny and ridiculous, but funny (even if the humor was unintentional). The only problem I can name with this film is the language in the kitchen scene, it will be insulting to certain ethnic people. Although it's really no more un-PC than the depiction of the giggling, submissive, broken-English-speaking Black maids in her earlier films. What I find disturbing is that reviewers have more of a problem with West's age than the off-color "humor" against foreigners in the kitchen scene.Once I saw this film a second time, the script actually made a lot more sense and was more intricate than I first realized. Believe me, when I, a Mae West fan, ordered this tape I thought I was going to be seeing one of the most boring, stupid, wastes-of-times in Hollywood's 100 year history. Thankfully, i was disappointed!The best part is that Sextette doesn't take itself seriously and doesn't expect its viewers to, either. It assumes its audience is intelligent enough to know camp when it sees it. Several of us do recognize it and appreciate this. Too bad there's the rest out there.BTW, tf this film is still unbearable, I suggest She Done Him Wrong. West is almost fifty years younger, for you agists out there, and her waistline has to be about twenty inches round, lol. But don't expect the script to be any less flamboyant."

Hollywood History & Glitz!

steve potts | MODESTO,CALIF | 10/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own 'Sextette', LOVE IT, and highly recommend it to all,..all that is who have a sense of humor! Miss West made this, her last film, "For the Fans" & she does not fail to deliver. 'Sextette' gets a bad rap from some critics, but then they are not the fans for whom Mae left us this last gem! Buy it, watch it, & be your own critic...you will enjoy it! Mae looks great, certainly not 85!! She is breathtakingly beautiful in the bedroom scene in her powder-blue gown! Thank goodness she did one last Technicolor movie for us fans!! My favorite line is at the end of the gown fitting session, where she purrs, "I'm that gal that works at Paramount all day..,and Fox all night!" There will never be anyone like Miss Mae West again, & Hollywood will never be able to pull off another movie like 'Sextette' again. Lots of great stars, cameos, (even pre-Millionaire Regis Philbin) music, & Mae West - true Hollywood History! Enjoy!!"

Mae West deserves 5 stars for giving her all for her fans.

steve potts | 07/15/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mae was very ill when she made this. Her diabetes was very out-of-control and she was aging at an alarming rate. Even so, friends of mine who do not know her age guessed that she was in her 50's. They were quite suprised to find out she was over 85! She planned to do this movie right after Myra Brekenridge but got sidelined. She looked great the clips of Myra Breckenridge that were shown on the Biography channel. (I have never seen Myra Brekenridge - apparently Tom Selleck, Farrah Fawcett, and Raquel Welch will not allow it to be sold on the video market). She was very wealthy (owning many parcels of prime California real estate). Only when she realized that she didn't have much time left did she decide to do one last movie for her fans - she was beautiful in some scenes- especially the entry in the wedding gown, bedroom scenes, and the clothing try-outs for an 'upcoming Marlo Manners movie' ( she wanted to show her Diamond Lil characters one more time in Color for her fans). Mae within one year of this movie had begun having the beginnings of Alzheimer's disease. She recognized only old acquaintances, she had to have her lines read to her through an earpiece, just before reciting them, through out the filming. She was even left standing in a elevator for several hours - after the set was shut down (she had to walk down a hall, say a line and hit a button-- this scene took many retakes to get all the actions in the correct order, when it was finally done they rapped the set and left - finally someone remembered Mae and rescued her from the elevator.) My favorite scene is her meeting with George Raft in the elevator. A definite chemistry was still there. Its fitting that he was in her first and last movie. The only part of the movie I feel should have been cut was the Dom DeLouise solo song - absolutely ridiculous. Mae insisted on having the end of the movie changed - where she sang 'Next, Next' with Alice Cooper. Originally, the producers wanted her to sing a sad song lamenting loosing her new husband. Mae said NO - she was going to show a self-confident image which is what her fans wanted- and get her husband back ---- and she did. One additional thing, Mae had a stroke three months before she died at 87. She was unable to talk - but did enjoy watching her movies until her death. She was given the last rights by a priest - and thru out her life she was known to give her car to Nuns whenever she saw them in need of transportation, then buy herself a new one. She took care of her Mom, Dad, brother and sister Beverly -providing them a private ranch. Her sister Beverly only lived a year after Mae- but she was left quite well off."

Legendary Mae West still the Queen of Sex!

G. Bradley | 10/22/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mae West still delivers in this amusing, under-rated comedy. Sextette has been unfairly attacked by some age-prejudiced critics, but the fact of the matter is, this film is not bad at all. The Legendary West is extraordinary in this film as always and looks great. When Timothy Dalton says, "After all, I am British--stiff upper lip," magnificent Mae looks him over, stares at his crotch, and says in that sexy voice, "Well...you gotta start somewhere." She is an American Institution and as Dick Cavette and Rona Barrett have said, "the 8th wonder of the world."