The Flesh Is Weak

A British crime thriller that uses its tiny budget to its advantage (its opening credits appear over a sewer grate), John Chaffey’s The Flesh Is Weak is rough and sleazy, just like its main character, a charming and self-centered pimp named Tony Giani, played quite naturally by the American John Derek. We’re quickly reminded this is not an American film by the frank treatment of prostitution; one scene, extremely daring in 1957, sees Marissa Cooper (Tilly Vitale) lie on top of Giani, unbutton his shirt, kiss his stomach, and come extremely close to commencing fellatio. Marissa is Giani’s girl, but she’s also a potential meal ticket, so Gianni soon puts her to work in the prostitution network operated by him and his brothers (“These girls, they’re not all tramps; some of them’ve had religious training and it takes a while for them to shake it off”). Vitale’s no Bergman or Hepburn, but she does a fine job portraying a naïve girl reluctantly monetizing her body (and sobbing about it) out of love for a dangerous brute. Using one primary set for exterior scenes (a beautifully lit studio-bound streetscape), Chaffey manages to find some innovative shots, such as the close-up on Marissa’s high-heeled gait as she walks to the corner for the first time. Viewer’s note: This film is not to be confused with the Japanese film of the same name (Bitoku no yoromeki) released the same year.