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Drama Cult Classic

Three suburban women trade PTA meetings for the high-stakes world of illicit side hustles.

MONEY ON THE SIDE

1982 · 1h 30m · PG · Drama / TV Movie · IMDB TMDB

Three middle-class housewives who are having money problems join a prostitution ring.

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Vault Note

Proof that even the suburbs had secrets—especially in TV’s prime time.

Programmer's Pick

This is your ticket to the wilder side of 1982 suburbia, where financial desperation leads not to bake sales, but to clandestine careers. With Karen Valentine, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Linda Purl juggling family drama and questionable moonlighting, the film delivers a soapy, serious-minded look at what happens when the American Dream needs a cash infusion.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is Money on the Side about?

Money on the Side is a 1982 American drama TV movie directed by Robert L. Collins about three middle-class housewives who join a prostitution ring to solve their financial problems.

Details & Specs
Director
Robert L. Collins
Writers
Robert L. Collins, Eugene Price, Morton S. Fine
Release
1982
Runtime
1h 30m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Genres
Drama, TV Movie

Synopsis

Feast your eyes on a hairspray and shoulderpads morality tale from the early 80’s – like an after school special for bored horny housewives. Linda Purl spends all day eating chocolates and all night being berated by her physically abusive hubby Gary Graham who’s going to be laid off from the factory soon – so she decides to make a few extra bucks for the family by becoming a whore. Karen Valentine has a retarded son and her hard-working hubby Richard Masur refuses to acknowledge the kid is one sandwich short of a picnic so she has to look elsewhere for the extra money she needs to send him to a special school – you guessed it she’s going pro too! And Jamie Lee Curtis is married to an alcoholic gambler who keeps pissing away their life savings and crashing their uninsured cars – so she of course decides to sell her ass as well.

If all that wasn’t reason enough to watch then let me add that the hard-nosed copper out to bust this ring of hooker housewives is none other than Doc Emmett Brown himself; Christopher Lloyd, and he really has a gripe with these skanky hos for some reason – he even browbeats one of em into committing suicide! Also look out for BSG’s President Laura Roslin; Mary McDonnell as a sleazy slag trolling hotel bars for johns who ends up getting raped and beaten by a furtive pervert that is stalking the local hooker community.

Why Cult

Jamie Lee Curtis Drama

Catch Jamie Lee Curtis in a rare early-80s TV movie role, bringing intensity to domestic turmoil.

Suburban Prostitution Twist

Watch the unexpected tale of three housewives navigating money woes by entering the world’s oldest profession.

80s TV Movie Vibes

Feast on a blend of hairspray, shoulderpads, and the earnest morality of early-80s television drama.

Questions from the Vault

What is Money on the Side about? +

Money on the Side is about three middle-class housewives who join a prostitution ring to address their financial struggles.

When was Money on the Side released? +

Money on the Side was released in 1982.

Who directed Money on the Side? +

Money on the Side was directed by Robert L. Collins.

How long is Money on the Side? +

Money on the Side has a runtime of 90 minutes.

What genre is Money on the Side? +

Money on the Side is a drama and TV movie.