Alvin Purple is a 1973 Australian sex comedy directed by Tim Burstall and starring Graeme Blundell, Lynette Curran, and Jacki Weaver.
The film follows the misadventures of a naïve young Melbourne man named Alvin Purple (Blundell), whom women find irresistible. Working in door to door sales, Alvin unsuccessfully tries to resist legions of women who want him. By the film's halfway point, Alvin is so worn-out he seeks psychiatric help to solve his problems.
Upon its initial release, it received largely negative reviews from local film critics. Despite this it was a major hit with audiences, and became the most commercially successful Australian film released to that time, breaking the box office record set by Michael Powell's pioneering 1966 Anglo-Australian comedy feature They're a Weird Mob.
The film was followed by two sequels, Alvin Rides Again and Melvin, Son of Alvin, and an ABC series, all of which featured Blundell reprising his role as Alvin.
Alvin Purple Tropes Again:
- Awful British Sex Comedy: It has the format of one, except it's an Australian production. It's actually much better than that description would suggest, however.
- Clueless Chick-Magnet: Alvin is a quintessential example of this trope. The opening scene has him being chased across Melbourne by a group of hysterical fangirls, and it all goes downhill from there.
- Cursed with Awesome: Alvin is desired by nearly all the local women, but it ultimately leaves him exhausted both mentally and physically, not to mention having to endure the wrath of plenty of unhappy husbands.
- Fanservice: Plenty of it, as you can probably tell already from the description.
- From Bad to Worse: When Alvin seeks psychiatric help to solve his problems, the (female) psychiatrist falls for him instead.
- Imagine Spot
- In the opening scene, Alvin is complaining in voiceover about all the hot looking women providing innocuous fanservice as he rides a tram. First he tears open a woman's blouse for everyone's shock or appreciation. Then he congratulates another woman on her great see-through top that shows off her naked breasts, for which she's quite appreciative. "I've been wearing it for days; I didn't think anyone had noticed." For the Rule of Three, we're shown what actually happened.
Alvin: (voiceover) Of course it wasn't like that at all.
Alvin: (to See-Through Blouse Girl) God, you've got great tits! (*Slap*)- Later Alvin decides to go celibate, but finds it rather difficult. His pretty neighbour knocks on the door asking May I Borrow a Cup of Sugar? When Alvin answers the door, she's stark naked. He closes the door, then opens it again; this time she's wearing clothes.
- I'm a Man; I Can't Help ItAlvin: (voiceover) It's a conspiracy, that's what it is. I mean how can you keep your mind off it, if it's being flung at you every hour of the day? (woman in a short skirt drops her handbag, then bends over to pick it up)
- Kavorka Man: Burstall resisted pressure to cast a Mr. Fanservice for the title character, figuring it would be more amusing if Alvin was not an obvious stud yet somehow attracted an Unwanted Harem.
- Ladykiller in Love: Alvin is irresistible to women, but falls in love with the one woman who's immune to his charms.
- Pop-Star Composer: The score and title theme were composed by Australian singer-songwriter Brian Cadd.
- Slapstick: Shows up quite a few times, most notably during the opening scene.
- Taking the Veil: At the end of the movie the one woman Alvin can't get becomes a nun, so Alvin gets a job as the gardener at the nunnery to be with her. Where he gets eyed by a lot of appreciative nuns.
- Unwanted Harem: Alvin is sick of women ceaselessly trying to have sex with him.
- Younger Than They Look: Alvin is only sixteen, but looks to be in his mid-twenties.note Lampshaded by a character who remarks that Alvin is "a big boy for [his] age."
