Taglines: What’s wrong with– “Chastity”?
Chastity features Cher in her first title role. The story, written and produced by her husband Sonny, is the tale of Chastity, a wandering girl who goes hitchhiking across the U.S looking for adventure. She has taken on a new name and the attitude that she will spurn the advances of anyone who wants to give her more than a ride in their car.
After fighting off several lecherous lunatics, she takes refuge in a bordello run by Diana Midnight (Barbara London). It turns out Diana has designs on Chastity in hopes she will not live up to her name. Chastity moves in with Eddie (Stephen Whittaker) for a few nights before hitting the road once again in this story written by Sonny Bono.
Chastity is a 1969 American romantic drama film directed by Alessio de Paola and starring American singer-actress Cher, in her first film role without her then-husband Sonny Bono. Written and produced by Sonny Bono, as a star vehicle for her, it flopped badly and deterred Cher from acting in films for more than a decade.
About the Movie
By 1968, the duo of Sonny & Cher were losing popularity, in part because young people disagreed with the duo’s anti-drug stance and associated them and their music with an older, more conservative generation. The film Chastity was planned to reconnect with the younger audience, make Cher a major movie star, and establish Sonny in the film business. Sonny stated that the film was about “the increase in frigidity and the increase in lesbianism…the lack of manhood. The independence women have acquired but don’t necessarily want. So many young girls are just spinning their wheels.”
The Bonos invested $500,000 of their own money into the film, even pawning the furniture from their Bel Air mansion to raise funds. When Chastity failed at the box office, the couple lost their investment and ended up owing the U.S. government $270,000 in taxes. Although the movie overall received poor notices, Cher did receive some positive reviews for her acting.
A soundtrack to the film was also released, consisting almost entirely of instrumentals except for one song sung by Cher and produced by Sonny, “Chastity’s Song (Band of Thieves)” which was also released as a single. The single and soundtrack LP were also commercial failures, and contributed to ATCO Records’ decision that Cher work with a different producer on her next solo album, 3614 Jackson Highway.
Filmed in the city of Phoenix, Arizona in the latter half of 1968, locations in the city still exist over 50 years later. In the early part of the film, ‘Chastity’ is hit on by a man in a car, in front of a restaurant. The name of it is “Macayo’s”, a Mexican food establishment. Another scene has her leaving a church, St. Mary’s in the downtown area. Outdoor scenes for Mexico were filmed in Phoenix’s Encanto Park and in another scene, she is walking along 35th Avenue and in the distance is Camelback Mountain. (Which can no longer be seen from this locale.)
About the Story
Chastity (Cher) is a young hippie runaway who drifts and hitchhikes aimlessly, reflecting on life and love. She survives by her wits, engaging in occasional scams (such as pretending to be a gas station attendant and keeping the customer’s payment) and accepting offers of rides, food and lodging from men she meets, but firmly and coldly rejecting any sexual advances that come with these offers. Sometimes she is childlike, other times she is angry or destructive for seemingly no reason. She chose the name “Chastity” for herself from the dictionary because it meant “abstinence, purity, freedom from ornamentation, simplicity.”
Chastity meets a law student named Eddie (Stephen Whittaker) who is kind to her, and briefly stays with him at his house. Next she travels over the border to Mexico, ending up in a brothel run by lesbian madam Diana Midnight (Barbara London). After Chastity rips off an inexperienced young male customer, Diana takes a personal interest in her and the two begin a brief romantic relationship. At first, Chastity seems happy with Diana, despite Chastity’s expressed hatred of being touched. However, Chastity soon becomes angry with Diana, runs away and returns to Eddie, whom she renames “Andre”.
Eddie and Chastity live together for a short time and Chastity seems to finally be settled in a traditional relationship. But when Eddie is out, Chastity begins to hear in her head the voices of her parents talking about how she was sexually abused when she was younger (providing the motivation for Chastity’s behavior up to this point). Crying and traumatized, Chastity overturns the dining room table, writes “I think I love you” on Eddie’s kitchen wall and runs away again, heading for the highway. A truck driver pulls up to offer her a lift, but Chastity hesitates about getting in, and the film ends without showing whether she accepts the ride.
Chastity (1969)
Directed by: Alessio de Paola
Starring: Cher, Barbara London, Steve Whittaker, Tom Nolan, Danny Zapien, Elmer Valentine, Burke Rhind, Richard Armstrong, Autumn, Joe Light, Dolly Hunt, Jason Clark
Screenplay by: Sonny Bono
Cinematography by: Ben Colman
Film Editing by: Hugo Grimaldi
Costume Design by: Sadie Hayes
Music by: Sonny Bono, Malcolm John Rebennack
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: American International Pictures
Release Date: June 24, 1969
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