Scandal

Scandal is a British drama set in early 1960s London and based on the real Profumo affair, a political and sexual scandal that shook the United Kingdom during the Cold War. Stephen Ward, an osteopath with connections in fashionable society, befriends Christine Keeler, a young dancer, and introduces her to his circle of influential acquaintances. Through him she meets John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War, and also a Soviet naval attaché. When the relationships come to public attention, the resulting scandal threatens the careers and reputations of those involved.

The film was directed by Michael Caton-Jones, his first feature, and written by Michael Thomas. It came before Memphis Belle, Doc Hollywood and This Boy's Life in the director's filmography. John Hurt plays Stephen Ward, with Joanne Whalley as Christine Keeler, Bridget Fonda as Mandy Rice-Davies and Ian McKellen as John Profumo. The supporting cast includes Leslie Phillips and Britt Ekland, among around fifty credited performers.

Released in March 1989, the film took about 9 million dollars at the worldwide box office. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.4 from roughly 6,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6 out of 10 from around 105 votes. These figures indicate a modest commercial return and a generally mixed response from viewers.