User Reviews

Showing on Netflix, this is an informative documentary for those who do not know much about the 1970s British pornographic film industry and its one time leading light who lived every cliché before dying.

I had heard of Mary Millington growing up in the 1970s because she got a lot of coverage in the newspapers that were published on Sundays, and her films were always advertised in the fronts of cinemas.

The films themselves when seen on tape in the 1980s were rather bland unfunny smut fests than full on sex films. If it wasn't for magazines like Whitehouse and Playbirds being passed round school playgrounds the Mary Millington of porn legend would have been long forgotten.

The film was obviously made by a film maker who likes his subject and keeps the tone of the film positive and zips through her life with stories and photographs of Mary Millington from her child hood through to her tragic suicide. There are lots of talking heads who were there during this time including the man who turned Mary into a publishing house and made David Sullivan a millionaire many times over.

The documentary contains many clips from Marys rather explicit back catalogue and though not full on sex is displayed it manages to convey what her films were like outside of her soft porn career. Be warned there are brief glimpses of fellatio, rutting and girl on girl action from her porn loops and brief snippets and covers from the magazines she appeared in.

It's interesting to see how mainstream celebrity at the time led to her downfall, and brought her into the world of cocaine and high living, whilst also battling depression. Even in her early days according to the film she was earning £200 a film (worth £4,000 in today's earnings), those 8mm loops cost £1,000 to make and could sell 300,000 units across Europe. Millington also appeared in porn magazines during the 1970s and these could sell upwards of a million copies per issue.

This film is worth watching and it handles its subject with respect

Documentary chronicling the extraordinary life and tragic death of Mary Millington - Britain's most famous pornographic actress of the 1970s.

I wouldn't say I'm incredibly knowledgeable about the history of pornography. But I've seen enough documentaries and read enough stories that I thought I had a fair handle on it. But, it turns out, the world of American pornography is apparently completely different from British (or perhaps European) pornography. Because I have never even heard of Mary Millington.

This documentary is quite a good one, because it not just follows Mary's life, but follows the industry, which is really the more interesting story. It's a story of morality, censorship, and more. This is even more fascinating today (2016) in the era of the internet.

Big-screen documentary about the troubled career and tragic end of the 1970s UK adult film actress. Born in 1945, she endured regular bullying at school due to her illegitimacy, leaving at 15 with no qualifications. At 18 she entered into a sham marriage, and soon after that began nursing her terminally ill mother (ultimately for ten years). Not tall enough to fulfill her dream of being a fashion model, she began a career in porn to help pay for her mother's care.

In the mid 1970s she managed to move from short films to mainstream British sex comedies such as Intimate Games, Come Play with Me, and The Playbirds, appearing with the likes of Ian Hendry, Irene Handl, Valentine Dyall, Alan Lake, and Derren Nesbitt. Her name was a big draw, but by the late 70s she was being passed over for younger performers. Supplementing her income by work as a call girl and serving in sex shops (including one of her own) brought regular contact with the police, with raids and arrests. It also attracted the Inland Revenue. Her long-standing moderate drugs use became heavier, and in 1979 she received a tax bill she was unable to pay. That same year there were two arrests for shoplifting. The day after the second of these she took her own life by overdose, aged 33. Her last screen role was in punk band the Sex Pistols' The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (released posthumously).

A tragic story of someone who was clearly struggling for much of her life, despite her bubbly persona, and a reminder that we often don't know what's just below the surface.

Having been born in 1993, I was unfamiliar with the life, and tragic demise, of Seventies' porn starlet Mary Millington. Simon Sheridan's engrossing documentary remind everybody of my generation how porn was not as ubiquitous as it is today. 40 years ago hardcore material was illegal in Great Britain and those who made it, distributed it or starred in it were crucified in the press and persecuted by the authorities.

One lone figure who stood up to campaign for the legalisation of porn was Mary Millington, a tiny blonde from Surrey who pretty much single-handedly took on the British Establishment. Such was her immense popularity that she starred in the biggest selling 8mm porn movie Europe has ever known ('Miss Bohrlock') as well as appearing in 'Come Play with Me', the longest-running British film ever. But alongside fame came unhappiness and she died aged just 33, apparently with nobody left to help her beat her addiction to drugs, or her battle with depression.

Whilst 'Respectable: The Mary Millington Story' is not always a happy tale, there is much to enjoy, and digest, - there are carefully- judged moments of joy and laughter (actor Dudley Sutton is especially funny) mixed with heartbreaking and poignant tales told by several ex- lovers and friends. I found it utterly enthralling from beginning to end, and I couldn't stop thinking about it even days later. How did Mary really die? Who was ultimately responsible? And why was she considered such a thorn in the side of the Metropolitan Police?

What could've been a tawdry documentary is actually a beautifully- paced history lesson on British post-war attitudes towards sex. I absolutely loved it and as a teacher myself I think teenagers today would be shocked to know how the human rights we take-for-granted now were once a battlefield.

This eminently watchable documentary is the story of Mary Millington, the porn star and glamour model who became a household name in 1970's Britain. The title comes from her quote: "I was born respectable, but I soon decided I wasn't going to let that spoil my life".

Through clips of Mary, including brief glimpses of her hard core loops, which seem playful, even innocent today, as well as interviews with family members, lovers, friends and colleagues, a fascinating story emerges. Though it was to end in tragedy, there's lots of fun along the way, not least when Dudley Sutton amusingly disses and dismisses Mary's arch enemy, self-appointed Filth-Fighter General, Mrs Whitehouse.

Mary married Bob Maxted when she was eighteen, and he remained her husband to the end of her life, though it was an open marriage from early on. The Sixties and Seventies were a time when the last vestiges of Victorian morality were breaking down, with their replacement by modern day taboos some way off. Stories of suburban swinging and the legendary 'wife swapping' parties were rife, TV programmes with sex scenes and partial nudity abounded, and for a time, newsagents and corner shops up and down the land were festooned with scores of different soft core sex magazines to an extent unimaginable today. Some of these were becoming increasingly explicit, particularly those owned by David Sullivan, and it was these that brought Mary her fame.

However, the UK authorities were adamant that they would not follow the rest of Europe in legitimising the sale of explicit porno films of the 'Deep Throat' variety. Mary was determined to confront them, and soon fell foul of the UK's notorious 'Obscene Publications Act' still in force today, which allowed the authorities to go after material they arbitrarily considered 'likely to deprave and corrupt'. Much police harassment and bullying followed and this, plus her increasing addiction to hard drugs and not least the depression which became worse after the death of her beloved mother, were major factors in her tragic death.

The film is a significant achievement by first time director, Simon Sheridan, Mary's biographer and long time champion, and is a 'must see' for anyone who wants to learn more about her life, and sex in the UK of the Seventies.

Here I was, looking forward to hearing about the life of Mary Millington, and all I got was Me Me Me, from Mr. Sheridan.

Started off well but, after 5 minutes, it got boring. It was more like a video CV of what HE had done, rather than a synopsis of Mary's life.

What a bloody waste.

Simon Sheridan has produced the last word on the life of Mary Millington. This documentary explores in detail the fascinating (and never boring) life of Britain's first and only (!) mainstream porn star.

Whilst the work of every British film genre is celebrated with pride, the soft porn film is typically neglected except for cheerleaders especially Sheridan. These films were major earners and drew on big stars who would go from children's films to soft porn films (such as Ronnie Fraser going from Swallows and Amazon's to Come Play with Me with Mary Millington!). These were different times!

This film is going to be revolutionary to even the most hardened (lol!) fan but it is also even handed in approach. In short it is a Meister work and is worth a watch for anyone with an interest in British cinema...indeed anyone! Fantastic!

This is a wonderfully moving warts and all documentary that shows the extreme ups and downs of the UK'S only real iconic porn star,the love and respect Simon Sheridan has for Mary shines through as much as that of her friends and family.

Dexter Fletcher's narration is perfect and most of the major people in Mary's life have been interviewed,including David Sullivan, Francoise Pascal and the late Stanley A. Long.

This is a must see for any one with an interest in British cinema or just an interest in a larger than life bundle of contradictions who fought against the strict censorship laws of the time..... She really did want to stick it to the man...

Simon Sheridan has put together an incredibly moving, touching and funny documentary that sheds light on the effervescent Mary Millington. This is so much more than a documentary on porn; it is an insight into how one woman showcased her own feminist movement, albeit in way that rocked the establishment, and how she celebrated her unconventional job and how she loved her body. Mary was natural, smart, and way before her time.

Respectable highlights a time in the 20th century when we Brits were conflicted with our culture, but most of it all is explores the beauty and vulnerability of Mary, who was, in a way, Britain's own Marilyn Monroe.

Mary sparkles on the screen, and Simon Sheridan has cleverly captured the essence of Mary through footage and interviews with her family. Watch this, and learn something. Compelling, tragic, thoughtful, wonderful.

This is the best thing I have watched in 2016.

First time director Simon Sheridan pays his respects to Mary Millington, Britain's sex superstar of the 1970s. Blending a perfect recipe of primary documentary evidence, expert talking heads, original audio recordings and varied video clips, Sheridan's story is both moving and captivating. All aspects of Mary's life and career are examined in detail to provide a comprehensive and compelling depiction of her spectacular rise to fame and tragic fall into depression in a few short years.

Key players in Mary's short life including David Sullivan, Mary Whitehouse and Diana Dors are featured, as are extensive examples of Mary's professional print and film output. Documentary contributors include Mary's lovers, friends and family who between them create a detailed picture of Mary's complex personality and motivations. Sheridan's documentary film is expertly pieced together and is not to be missed.

Just finished watching this on US Netflix and can't recommend it highly enough. It's the incredibly moving story of (in)famous 1970s British sex star Mary Millington. Directed by Simon Sheridan (author of 'Come Play With Me: The Life and Times of Mary Millington' and 'Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema'), this is a must see film even if you have never heard of Mary. It also takes a look at the state of UK censorship and the local sex industry during the 1970s.

It is beautifully shot (courtesy of cinematographer Dave Meehan) and it's obvious a huge amount of research went into making it. Definitely the best documentary I've seen in a long time.

This documentary provides insight into the all-too-brief life of Mary Millington, both celebrated and damned during her life because of her appearances in both "hard" and "soft" porn.

Mary comes across as eminently likable, independent of spirit but also vulnerable.

Offending "the Establishment" has never been a free ride, and although by the 1970s attitudes to matters sexual had become more liberal than in the early 1960s when the likes of Christine Keeler, Mandy Rice-Davies and Stephen Ward were prosecuted (one might say persecuted), with the well publicised efforts of Mary Whitehouse, Lord Longford and Malcolm Muggeridge, Mary's exploits were unlikely to go unremarked. And judging from the notes she left at the time of her death she clearly felt "they" - the police and the tax man in particular - were out to get her.

With proper help (if she had been prepared to accept it) Mary might well have got through her problems, especially her relationship with her mother and the effect of her death, and gone on to make her mark as an actress or elsewhere, but sadly that is purely hypothetical.

I felt very sad by the end of the film - at the loss of such a vibrant free spirit so early in her life. But also heartened at the reminder of this free spirit who refused to accept other peoples norms.

As to the documentary as a piece of film making, I cannot see how it could have been improved. A truly excellent piece of work by Simon Sheridan and those with whom he worked.

I have to say I only started researching Mary Millington upon hearing about this documentary/film and I have to say I am so glad Simon Sheridan paid tribute to Mary in this wonderful entertaining way. It is well worth a watch as I think it shows many aspects of Mary's life. I found it interesting to go on the journey from her young days into adulthood and also coming through was her open mindedness and caring side and I also found the interviews very interesting from family members to people in the Adult Industry I also think Simon Sheridan touched on Marys later life in a sensitive way regarding her mental health. I think it was a tragic end for Mary. I think the documentary/film was a fitting tribute to a much loved woman. Thank you.

Mary Millington is a name I recalled from my youth (my male cousin had various 'dirty magazines' hidden away in his bedroom!), but I was totally unaware of Mary's tragic story until watching 'Respectable'. Wow! What a tale - almost inconceivable that a mere porn star would be treated so badly by the police nowadays. Mary really was a one-off and blazed a trail for so many sex workers who have followed since. I thought Simon Sheridan's film was beautiful and considered - albeit explicit at times - and carefully unravelled Mary's story in a sensitive fashion. I had tears in my eyes at the conclusion, and wish somebody could've stepped in to help her. She died aged only 33. Mary was probably Britain's first feminist porn actress and her story deserves to be heard. An excellent documentary.

This is a very informative watch , lots of detail , follows the career from simple beginnings to rise to stardom then a tragic fall. Great interviews and narration. Plenty of photos and clips from most of her movies. Showing on Together TV on freeview in the UK.

The longest run in UK cinema history was an utterly worthless softcore effort called 'Come Play With Me' that had one saving grace. A cover girl whose picture was selling a million magazines a month, helped further by the UK's banning of blue films, which remained the irresistible forbidden fruit.

Who was this recently re-named Mary Millington? For a girl of four foot eleven, she was unusual for maintaining the perfect body-proportions, although too small for session modelling. This restricted her opportunities, and when her mother's care-home costs started mounting up, she was inevitably drawn to the shadier zones of the business. In the immortal words of the song, 'My God, how the money rolls in'. But you don't get something for nothing, and at thirty-three, she quite suddenly found she was being passed-over in favour of new flesh, in line with the pitiless logic of the modelling business. This is always given as the trigger for her suicide, though many claimed that it was the shock of her mother's death that had brought on the kleptomania that also helped to push her over the edge. (The film's title 'Respectable' comes from her admission that she was 'born respectable', indicating that she had nothing to blame her mother for.) Yet there had already been other forces at work.

Significantly she was close friends with Diana Dors, whose drug-addict husband first got Mary interested in those certain white powders. And Diana never used a bank or paid tax in her life (which is why her 'missing millions' have never been located) - a pattern that was copied enthusiastically by Mary.

Then there was her campaigning for the legalising of porn. This brought her into conflict with the authorities, especially the police, which boded badly for the future. It also brought her into conflict with the other high-profile Mary (Whitehouse), who could be made to look very severe and starchy by comparison. Still I think Dudley Sutton was out of order, claiming that either Whitehouse or her husband must have had problems expressing sexual feelings. The Christian/puritan stance was perfectly reasonable. But it was desperately uncool, and out of step with the times. And when Mary Millington was in her grave, her campaign came to fruition.

Mary was actually quite an enigma. She claimed that she was seeking anonymity, yet was clearly longing for fame. She managed to be highly promiscuous without alienating her lovers, who accepted each other, and who talk fondly of her on this film. Superficially she could seem like the nymphomaniac who earned money just doing what she enjoyed. Yet some claimed that sex meant nothing to her. We know that she loved to give pleasure (a clue to her legalisation campaign), but may not have experienced much of it herself.

The trouble seems to have started when she was led to believe that she could do no wrong, and simply lost her moral compass. Although she could be notably kind and supportive to her friends, she was blind to any civic obligations. When the taxman started asking questions, she called it persecution. When the police raided her porn shop, she called them fascist and corrupt. Her scandalous shoplifting habit kept up right to the day before she died - snatching valuable jewellery from shop counters, even scooping cutlery off restaurant tables into a huge holdall.

Her last moments curiously reveal an instinct for good manners and common decency. One of her four suicide notes was addressed to a reporter whom she was supposed to meet for lunch, apologising that she would not be able to make it. Miss Otis Regrets...