Privilege (1967) on Netflix
Steven Shorter is Britain's biggest pop singer, and his stage act puts him in a jail cell, beaten by police. Handlers control him. A painter, Vanessa Ritchie, comes to make his portrait.
- Netflix3.1/5
- IMDb6.8/101,480 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes57%
Trailer
Plot summary
Steven Shorter is the most loved celebrity in a near-future England, where the country's main parties have joined in a coalition. His fame gives the government a way to keep the public content and away from politics, so the state supports him. A team runs his career, among them manager Martin Crossley, PR man Alvin Kirsch, record executive Julie Jordan and backer Andrew Butler. Shops, nightclubs and brands all carry his name. In his stage show he stands in a jail cell, handcuffed and beaten by police officers, while the audience watches with horror and sympathy. An artist, Vanessa Ritchie, is brought in to make his portrait. Lonely and isolated, Shorter is drawn to her.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Privilege (1967)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Britain's J. Arthur Rank cinema circuit refused to show Privilege for what it deemed its "immoral nature," and Universal Pictures withdrew the film after brief screenings in a few countries; according to Peter Watkins' website it has rarely been shown since, only very occasionally on TV.
- In 1978 the Patti Smith Group recorded the film's song "Free Me" as "Privilege (Set Me Free)" on their album Easter. Their version reached number 72 on the UK singles chart and number 13 on the singles chart in Ireland.
- The film's music had a second life: Big Audio Dynamite opened their 1988 single "Just Play Music!" with an audio sample from Privilege, and "Free Me" was part of the soundtrack of Guy Ritchie's 2019 film The Gentlemen.
