Prick Up Your Ears (1987)
Stephen Frears' searing biographical drama about playwright Joe Orton and the jealousy that destroyed him.
Prick Up Your Ears - Movie Information
- Original Title: Prick Up Your Ears
- Release Year: 1987
- Directed by: Stephen Frears
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Age Rating (US): R
- Runtime: 1h 51m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): April 17, 1987 (United States - R), August 4, 2017 (United Kingdom - 18)
- Alternative Titles: Kyss meg i øret (NO), Susurros en tus oídos (AR), Das Stürmische Leben des Joe Orton (DE)
- Production Companies: British Screen Productions, Civilhand, Zenith Entertainment, Film4 Productions
- Production Countries: United Kingdom
Prick Up Your Ears - Plot
When the young, attractive Joe Orton meets the older, more introverted Kenneth Halliwell at drama school, he befriends the kindred spirit and they start an affair. As Orton becomes more comfortable with his sexuality and starts to find success with his writing, Halliwell becomes increasingly alienated and jealous, ultimately tapping into a dangerous rage.
Prick Up Your Ears - Trailer
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They shared everything... except success.
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Prick Up Your Ears - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Stephen Frears
Main Cast
- Gary Oldman
- Alfred Molina
- Vanessa Redgrave
- Wallace Shawn
- Lindsay Duncan
- Julie Walters
- James Grant
- Frances Barber
- Janet Dale
- Dave Atkins
Writers
- Alan Bennett
Producers
- Andrew Brown
Prick Up Your Ears - FAQs
What is Prick Up Your Ears about?
Prick Up Your Ears traces the real-life relationship between Joe Orton, the brilliantly provocative British playwright, and his older companion Kenneth Halliwell. As Orton's star rises through the 1960s London theatre scene, Halliwell's resentment and jealousy spiral into obsession, culminating in a shocking act of violence.
Did Kenneth Halliwell really kill Joe Orton?
Yes. In August 1967, Kenneth Halliwell bludgeoned Joe Orton to death in their London flat, then took a fatal overdose of sleeping pills. Orton was just 34. The murder shocked the British arts world and remains one of the most tragic episodes in 20th-century theatre history.
Where can you stream Prick Up Your Ears?
You can stream Prick Up Your Ears on MGM+, fuboTV, and Philo, all included with a subscription. It's also available free with ads on Tubi TV, or through the MGM+ Amazon Channel and MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel.
Is Prick Up Your Ears based on a true story?
Absolutely. The film is adapted from John Lahr's acclaimed 1978 biography of the same name, which drew on Orton's diaries and interviews with those who knew him. Screenwriter Alan Bennett shaped the material into a framing narrative told through Lahr's own research process.
Who are the main actors in Prick Up Your Ears?
Gary Oldman delivers a magnetic performance as Joe Orton, while Alfred Molina is devastating as the increasingly tormented Kenneth Halliwell. Vanessa Redgrave brings warmth and wit to Orton's literary agent Peggy Ramsay, and Wallace Shawn plays biographer John Lahr.
How was Prick Up Your Ears received by critics?
The film earned widespread critical acclaim on release. Reviewers praised Gary Oldman and Alfred Molina's performances as career-defining, and Alan Bennett's screenplay was celebrated for its wit and emotional intelligence. It's widely regarded as one of the finest British biopics of the 1980s.
What makes the film's structure unusual?
Rather than a straightforward biopic, Prick Up Your Ears uses a clever framing device: biographer John Lahr (Wallace Shawn) investigates Orton's life after his death, interviewing key figures including agent Peggy Ramsay. This layered storytelling gives the film a reflective, literary quality that sets it apart from conventional biopics.
Did Prick Up Your Ears win any awards?
Yes. Alan Bennett won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the film received further BAFTA nominations including Best Actor for Gary Oldman. It also competed at the Cannes Film Festival in 1987, where it earned significant attention from the international press.
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