American Gigolo

Even now but especially back when I was in high this movie made me want to be fashion forward. I remember thinking I wanted nice suits an drawers full of nicely folded cloths. I wanted that Mercedes 450 SL. This was like a walking GQ magazine commercial. Look back now Lauryn Hutton was such a fresh face. Her body was nothing to rave about but he face wow! I guess I could say the movie lacked depth. All the characters were flat and under explored. If I had my way I would have let the good times roll throughout the move with no downturn of misfortune for the main character. This whole business about being framed for murder by the black pimp what a drag. The white madam was hot. They should have did something with that. .

A slick L.A. callboy finds love & redemption in Paul Schrader's ultra-stylish drama. High-living prostitute Julian Kay (Richard Gere stepping in for John Travolta) has it all: the Mercedes the clothes access to Beverly Hills' swankiest establishments and a stable of rich older female clients, but it all falls apart after he does a favor for his former pimp (Bill Duke)and the trick turns up dead a short while later; Julian's actual client won't give him an alibi and police Det. Sunday (Hector Elizondo) doesn't believe the gigolo's denials.The one person who can help him is frustrated politician's wife (and sole non-paying bedmate) Michelle (Lauren Hutton) if only Julian could let down his defenses and accept her gesture of love. Mixing his admiration for European art cinema with a voyeuristic view of the seamier side of sex & affluence Schrader renders Julian an inscrutable emotionally disengaged purveyor of pleasure decked out in Giorgio Armani clothes coordinated with Ferdinando Scarfiotti's meticulous production design & lots of graphic nudity.Amid critical doubts about its artiness and distanced eroticism AMERICAN GIGALO surprised everyone by not dying on the box office vine when it was theatrically released in the Winter of 1980 with some audiences reportedly showing up for repeat viewings of Gere's seductive charms it became a moderate hit turning Gere into a star and Armani into the new fashion sensation.Whatever reservations one may have about the movie it provided two indelible images of 1980s decadence to come: Gere's perusing his artist's palette of shirts ties and jackets and Gere's cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway in his convertible to the New Wave strains of Blondie's "Call Me".Therefore, with nobody to help Julian, he ends up in jail awaiting trial for the murder, but when all seems lost, Michelle risks her own reputation and her husbands to provide Julian with the alibi that can save him from going to prison.

I first saw American Gigolo on HBO as a kid after it came out in theaters. As a nine-year-old I didn’t even know what a gigolo was, so the movie didn’t stick with me. Now 40 years later I’ve rewatched the film, and I must say it’s pretty decent. Not perfect by any stretch, but entertaining. Loved seeing LA at the end of the glorious 70s, prior to the miserably hyper-conservative Reagan decade, and the fashion and home decor. Gere and Hutton were well-cast in their roles (if not perfect in their acting), and both sizzling hot in their prime. The murder plot was OK, though in some ways I wish it had been cut and the film would focus more on his life as an escort and the internal tension falling for a client created. A good flick overall.

I purchased this DVD after SHO-TIME started a new “American Gigolo” series, based on this movie. I haven’t seen this since I was a Teen so I needed to refresh my memory-l0l.It plays great- no issues at all. It’s in English and made for U.S. DVD/Blue-ray players.

Not what I expected.

This is one of my all-time favorite movies I’m a big Richard Gere fan great actor

Mediocre film and not one of Geres best performances. Not sure what would have improved it but watching once will suffice.

Movie 7 of 1980 and 77 overall in my journey through films of my lifetime.Of all the films of the 70's none were more 70's than this. From the decor to the fashion and even it's conspiratorial plot line. There was even some disco to be seen. I assume these things were still in vogue during pre production and filming so I shouldn't be surprised.I am impressed with the body of work from director Paul Schrader. In particular the way he turns physical intimacy on its head. He makes you ask questions about your own fantasies. Unfortunately his stories seem to be drug down by Hollywood pop plot points. "American Gigolo" suffered from this as much as "Hardcore" did. Honestly I would have liked it more if it had simply investigated the life of the main character. It could have been a deep dive into the life of a male flesh peddler. Some of that is there but not enough. Oh and spoiler... he falls in love AND love saves the day! Sounds cheesy? That's because it is. Too bad really because this could have been special. As it was it was merely entertaining.Pros-Richard Gere is a good lead-interesting characters-never bored meCons-only lightly brushes deep concepts so we end up short of greatness-drab esthetic, great if you loved the 70's

I was in my early 20's when I saw this film and it made quite an impression on me. Starring Richard Gere as the title American Gigolo a/k/a Julian Kay who lives the high life as a well paid male escort who takes his profession seriously, as he aims to please the wealthy mature ladies that live around and fly into the West Coast of America. He speaks several languages and you see him exercising in his room whilst learning Swedish to be able to impress one of his clients that he is scheduled to see. He lives out of a hotel room but has quite an extensive wardrobe of clothes that he takes time over selecting what to wear. He cruises from Beverley Hills to Palm Springs in his expensive Mercedes cabriolet 450 SL to attend a meet that reluctantly he agrees to help out one of his contacts.The film opens with the soundtrack of Blondie and the hit "Call Me." This track is played a couple times more during the film but morphed into different variations at the hands of Giorgio Moroder (He had successes with Donna Summer in the late 1970' with the likes of "I Feel Love" and "Love to Love You Baby" and brought in the very infectious Disco beat that exploded during that decade.), as the film takes on a rather down beat and bleak outlook after Julian suspects that he has been set-up on a murder rap. The film was written by and directed by Paul Schrader who seemed to be quite prolific from the mid 1970's onwards and was involved with the likes of 'The Yakuza, Taxi Driver, Rolling Thunder & The Hardcore Life' to name but a few. This is the film that really elevated Richard Gere into main stardom albeit, he had appeared in earlier films such as 'Report to the Commissioner' (1975) as well as 'Looking For Mr. Goodbar' (1977). In my opinion the 18 rating should be reconsidered and should be a 15.

Talented writer-director Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) sees Gere as a lonely man (Male Escort) trying to deal with both his own spinning moral compass and the hypocrisy of the society that's trying to tell him what to do for money. Gere is immaculately dressed; a stud for hire who services the wealthy women of Beverly Hills without ever allowing himself to be touched emotionally.This is a thriller, but not an exciting one. The music of Blondie complements the film and gives it even more atmosphere. It needs it because the film drags along too much. The plot takes a few twists and turns as the film comes to its surprising conclusion, but one thing that's never made clear, or perhaps I wasn't paying attention, is where exactly Julian(Gere) was on the night of the murder. It's obvious that he's innocent, but where was he? He may have spent all or part of that night with the wealthy woman who, along with her husband, repudiates him, but I'm still not sure. One of the better thrillers of the 1980's even though it was a poor decade for movies.

This DVD was to replace an ageing pre-recorded VHS tape. Delighted with the quality of the playback. Richard Gere and Lauren Hutton are both wonderful in this wonderful movie. Giorgio Moroder does a sterling job with the music and with the opening track being "Call Me" by Blondie, you know you're onto a winner.

This was the first film I ever saw with Richard Gere, and he gives an excellent performance as Julien, a gigolo, who lives on the edge. Enjoying a lifestyle with designer-label clothes, beautiful women and money, he meets an upper class woman, Lauren Hutton, who falls in love with him. Down and out, and facing trial and prison for murder, she is his saviour. But Julien finds it impossible to understand why a woman of her background would want to be with him.Very enjoyable movie

Subject matter not always the nicest but what a very fine actor he is.