Her Private Hell

When a naïve Italian beauty accepts modelling work in 60s London she's drawn into a sleazy world of booze, jazz parties, free loving, and... dirty pictures! Norman J. Warren's infamous girl-gone-wrong melodrama is given a sumptuous release from BFI Flipside, and proves itself a fun if inessential moralistic treat.

Warren used the thin plot to push the boundaries of British screen sexuality, with many scenes of mild titillation (nipples) and heavily implied references to 'doing it.' Britain's first narrative sex film, it was scandalous at the time, but it's all rather tame and a little camp to modern eyes.

Nonetheless, the transfer is crystal clear and BFI Flipside provides plenty of quality extras including interviews, screen tests and a comprehensive booklet to put it firmly in context. Aspiring film buffs and those interested in the evolution of British cinema could do far worse than this cautionary tale of ambition, glamour and dirty pillows. [Scotty McKellar]