The main characters in “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” include the following: Mona Stangley – a “madam” or the owner of the “House,” presiding it over by rigid behavior rules both for the girls and their clients. She is charming, sweet, and well-known due to generous donations to political campaigns and local charity (establishing a new swimming pool, a hospital, and others). Ed Earl – the local Sheriff and Mona’s lover, narcissistic, self-confident, and loving Mona, though keeping silent about that till the end of the movie. His character reflects the coexistence of exponential order and indulgence in breaking the law. The girls – “staff” of the House providing “services” to men of different ages and statuses. Deputy Fred – a naive and respectable citizen and exemplary family man, exposed in the light of a silly law enforcer. Melvin P. Thorpe – a consumer advocate, television evangelist, and anchor, pushing campaign against the House. Senator and the Governor – the state authorities are revealing the rotten state legislature in an attempt to whitewash themselves and avoid responsibility during the outbreak of conflict.
The film is based on a cheerful Broadway musical about a famous brothel in Texas called Chicken ranch. During the Depression, they paid for the chicken service, and in other years, it was $ 2, and the soldiers of the First World War sent their children from the Second World War. Politicians of all ranks were frequent guests of the House, either. In turn, the musical is based on a true story published in Playboy describing the brothel named Chicken Range situated in Texas, La Grange.
Geographic Location
The affairs in Texas are the fictional city’s (Gilbert) countryside, where a so-called “Chicken ranch” is situated. The social location is saturated with the Southern charm of a beautiful and quiet town. People of different races, genders, and layers coexist peacefully in Gilbert, being polite and courteous. The “most serious” problem demanding the sheriff’s participation is a mule sitting on a resident’s car. The film presents its heroes as physically developed people whose thirst and love for life are in full swing. The significance of all the diverse characters shown in the movie is in their positive attitude towards the House on the verge of prideful respect.
Brief Synopsis
Earl is a local “law authority” while Mona is a public-minded citizen involved in charity and being in every respect law-abiding except the House. Everything runs smoothly till Melvin Thorpe appears on the scene. During a live telecast, he reveals to the public the existence of a whorehouse in Texas. Earl has to make her promise that she will shut the doors of the House for around two months until the scandal is away. She gives the word, but decides to accept the winning team after the football game as senator pushes the party. During the party, Melvin and his cameras succeed to ambush them. Earl tries to solve the problem on different levels from threatening Melvin to visiting the Governor, but the decision to close down the “House” is made.
Before Mona leaves Gilbert, Earl proposes her. She rejects his proposal as she does not want to be an obstacle to his dream of becoming a legislator. Earl decides that Mona is more critical for him than rumors, marries her, and runs for the legislature. Although the significant line of the film is a romantic relationship, the main topics are hidden much more in-depth. They include the description of the political situation in Texas, social environment and reactions, and human’s duplicity in a disadvantaged position.
Film Analysis
In the beginning, the public is given short prehistory, telling that the “Chicken ranch” exists since the beginning of the century and was previously owned by Miss Jean. Before her death, Miss Jean decided to leave the “House” to her favorite “employee” – Mona. Additionally, there is a flashback from one of the women living in Gilbert: she narrates that her husband used to visit the House each Saturday till he was gone and called those visits a “God’s blessing” (Higgins, 1982). It reflects the attitude of “old-school decent ladies” towards sexual life like it was a yoke.
The film’s main turning point is the appearance of TV journalist Thorpe as it turns the whole town’s life upside down. Through the power of the influence of television, things are gaining such momentum and causing such a public outcry that it can no longer be stopped. It is a game to the public as before the protest on TV, both voters and mayor wanted to leave everything as it was.
The whole story’s purpose is to reveal the extent of people’s impressive dependence on the public’s opinion and readiness to change their minds under pressure. Moreover, the film shows the contradictions between what the legislative system pretends to be and what it actually is like. Despite the ease of feed, the film perfectly reveals the underlying problems of Texas society.
Personal View
The most impressive thing in the film is the game of contrasts revealing all the social ins and outs. The sheriff claiming to be the guardian of law and supreme justice essentially covers his lover’s illegal business. The girls providing doubtful “services” to men indignantly say that a tattoo on a female body equates it with cattle though they agree to sell their bodies like a commodity. The senator calls negotiations bilingual nonsense and cannot make any decision till he has the results of voting on hands. Thorpe modeling his body with fake pads under his clothes, claims that he stands for truth and justice. There are neither innocents nor crystal honest people in the film, but it suits everyone around them so far does not concern them personally.
Bibliography
Higgins, C. (1982). The best little whorehouse in Texas [Film]. Universal Pictures.