Not all films are worth your popcorn money, but Games That Lovers Play stands like a monolith in the entertainment desert—or perhaps a controversial oasis. Created in 1971, this British comedy film directed by Malcolm Leigh features a plot that would make even today's edgiest comedians blush. The movie stars Joanna Lumley and Richard Wattis and takes viewers on a bizarre journey through love's many quirks and eccentricities. While Hollywood was bathing in counter-culture and so-called liberation film ideas that were driving normal audiences up the wall, this movie hit British theaters and offered a refreshing take on relationships by pushing boundaries in ways that might seem tame today but were boldly provocative back then.
Now, this film unfolds in the swinging London of the 1970s—a time when society was allegedly more 'liberated' but was still grappling with the residue of conservative values. The story embarks on chaotic narratives about love, depicted through daring humor and unexpected scenarios that were meant to shock, awe, and entertain. It’s the social climate, the backdrops of societal change, and the unchecked experimental freedom in films like these that the liberal left would claim to highlight liberation but often ended up showcasing absurdity.
Of course, the critics at the time were quick to label it as art, as satire, as something that spoke to the underbelly of human relationships. But look closer, and you’ll find a treasure trove of scenes that illustrate not just love but the madness ensuing in relationships once the restraints are undone. That freewheeling approach to conveying raw emotion and untamed passion could confuse or entertain the viewer, depending on which political spectrum one leans towards. Why dissect love when you can just celebrate it without injecting weird humor? That’s a sentiment that the left doesn’t seem to understand.
The film takes you on a wild ride through love's playful perils in a society experiencing cultural upheaval. Each scene serves as a vignette that explores themes around romantic connections, each with its own brand of humor. Characters come alive through caricatures of lovers indulging in what can only be described as acts of love unshackled by social norms. They swing between the ridiculous and the amusing—which makes you wonder, was the film a tongue-in-cheek nod to the liberal critique of traditional values, or was it simply the next comedy blockbuster that happened to hilariously tread on topics others were too timid to touch?
From theatrical exaggerations to subtle nuances, Games That Lovers Play cleverly exposes the tomfoolery underlying blustering human emotions. It highlights not so much what love can be but how it was fantastically reimagined under the guise of 'freedom,' even as the tumultuous '70s were unfolding. When you see the lovers in this film play, it’s more like a sprawling concert of chaos, set against the tune of the decade's unorthodox spirit.
Fast forward to present times, and one wonders how such bold storytelling would fare against the political correctness rampant in today’s film industry. Today, films are sanitized, vacuum-sealed into safes where they can’t offend—or thrill. There's this unspoken checklist filmmakers must now tick through to self-censor under the claim of sensitivity. For a film like Games That Lovers Play, such boxes would be traps rather than points of triumph. And yet, its artistry speaks freely from a time when expression was magnificently unfiltered, even as it challenged societal taboos, making us question where true freedom in art truly lies.
To appreciate this film today, one must momentarily abandon modern sentiments and absorb the film as it was: bold, brave, and irrevocably entertaining. Walk away from it, and you might feel either delightfully puzzled, excitedly entertained, or questioning how far we've come in our cultural narratives—or how far we've fallen.
While every movie critic and social analyst would like you to dissect the importance of the narratives played out in films like these, it’s simpler. Consider not only what this film represented then, but what it slyly critiques today: modern love’s obsession over playing games rather than just savoring genuine connection. And let’s quietly acknowledge that films this controversial in their time often end up timeless because they refuse to conform. Isn't it something to revel in when creativity refuses to yield, when daring storytelling remains unapologetically outspoken?
So indulge in Games That Lovers Play—a film that captures the primacy of comedic romance with gusto and relentless charm, even as it layers in reckless antics. Relish in its imperfections, because like love, real art captures the raw, uncontrollable bursts of emotion we rarely manage to tie down. And isn't that what makes life—and cinema—worth experiencing?