The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington (1977)

Too much of everything

Redundant and unnecessary.

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Awesome Movie

The world's most famous madame (Joey Heatherton) is called to Washington to testify before Congress.If you are looking for a high-class film or something artsy, you might want to look or something that does not include "happy hooker" in the title. This is basically one tasteless joke after another, and an ongoing parade of topless women. (Not many nude men, but that just goes to show you what was considered acceptable in the 1970s.) This seems like a good movie to watch with some friends and get drunk with. By no means do I think it deserves the low rating it has on IMDb. While not a great movie, it is too harsh to call it a bad movie.

Joey Heatherton and I are almost the same age, I clearly remember when we were both in our 20s back in the 1960s and early 1970s, and how to me she seemed the most perfect embodiment of a cute girl who could sing and dance and with a gorgeous figure. My what I would have given back then to just talk to her. But alas we traveled in completely different worlds.So now, via the magic of Netflix streaming movies, I can see her. This movie can never be mistaken for a really good movie, but taken as it is, a silly and sexy spoof of Washington hearings on sexual misconduct, it is much better than its low rating would suggest.Joey Heatherton plays the real Xaviera Hollander who quit her day job to become a high-priced call girl then madame. However the whole story is fictional and the characters are fictional. The whole idea is that she has been called before a Congressional committee that deals with censorship in TV and movies, and they want to get to the bottom of alleged sexual misconduct.George Hamilton is her lawyer, Ward Thompson, and several of the high-profile Congressmen are played by veterans Ray Walston, Jack Carter, and Phil Foster. Nothing in this movie is to be taken seriously except maybe a jab at some puritan attitudes. In the end Xaviera shows up with several call girls who had actual sessions with the various Congressmen, this throws off their hunt.Many scenes seem somewhat arbitrary, and many to expose nicely formed female breasts, overall it is a corny movie. But for me it was a nice chance to see Joey Heatherton in just about every scene. She sure was a cutie pie.

This is a rare example of a sequel being an improvement on the first film because it's a lot more rowdy and explicit than the disappointingly chaste original. Granted, we ain't talking award worthy celluloid work of art here, but this cheerfully silly nonsense nonetheless entertains due to William A. Levey's competent direction, a constant brisk pace, a blithely bawdy tone (the racy TV commercial parodies in particular are absolutely sidesplitting!), a lively and swinging get-down groovy score, a bevy of beautiful women who include Edy Williams, Louisa Moritz (as ditsy aspiring tennis player Natalie Nussbaum), "Playboy" Playmates Pamela Zinszer and Bonnie Large, celebrity astrologer Joyce Jillson, the ever-delicious Marilyn Joi, and Cissy Cameron as air-headed court stenographer Miss Goodbody, and, of course, plenty of tasty female nudity. The adorable Joey Heatherton gives a sunny and vivacious performance as the sassy and vampy madam Xaviera Hollander, who's forced to testify before Congress after being charged with engaging in indecent acts that threaten the moral fabric of our country. George Hamilton is likewise solid and likable as Xaviera's smooth and hunky attorney Ward Thompson. The rest of the cast have a ball with their broad roles, with especially enthusiastic contributions by Ray Walston as the uptight Senator Sturges, Jack Carter as the gruff Senator Caruso, Billy Barty as a wacky CIA agent who gives Xaviera a special -- ahem! - "undercover" assignment, Larry Storch as lecherous tennis coach Robby Boggs, Sydney Lassick as a wimpy TV censor, Rip Taylor as a jolly photographer, and Harold Sakata sending up his signature part as Oddjob as evil Oriental baddie Wong. A total raunchy hoot.

Joey Heatherton a sex kitten from the 60"s turns in a great performance as Xavier Hollander (the happy hooker) ! As the great tagline suggests "She served her country the only way she could", Joey makes your blod boil without taking off her clothes as in todays films! This gem of a movie is not available on video but is occasionally shown on cable! Catch it if you can!