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Drama Cult Classic

A small-town actress faces exploitation and violence in her quest for Hollywood stardom.

A SWEET SICKNESS

'a RAG and a BONE and a hank of HAIR'

1968 · 1h 5m · NR · Drama · IMDB TMDB

A young woman gets sexually used and abused by every man she meets while on her way to rising to the top of Hollywood's entertainment industry.

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What is A Sweet Sickness about?

A Sweet Sickness is a 1968 American drama film directed by Jon Martin about Dee, an aspiring actress who faces sexual exploitation and abuse while trying to make it in Hollywood.

Synopsis

Dee, an inexperienced actress from a small town, comes to Los Angeles to find a career in the theater without prostituting herself. Her disillusionment begins when the manager of the building where Dee shares an apartment with a friend, arrives to collect the rent, finds Dee naked, and rapes her. Dee is not discouraged, however, and she agrees to appear at a stag party arranged by her agent and have her clothing auctioned off. A drunk who bids $250 for her underpants later forces his way into Dee's dressing room, expecting more for his money. Dee rebuffs him and is beaten by the club's manager for insulting his patron. In her search for another apartment, Dee is attacked and chloroformed by a rental agent, and she awakens to find herself at a wild orgy. She passes out, wakes up in a telephone booth smelling of whiskey, and is unable to convince the police that she was abducted. Despondent, Dee finally acquiesces to her agent's wishes, and he forces her to have sex with him to demonstrate her willingness to cooperate. The agent arranges an appointment for Dee with a movie producer--none other than the drunk from the stag party. A more mature woman because of her recent experiences, Dee has intercourse with the producer.
Details & Specs
Director
Jon Martin
Release
1968
Runtime
1h 5m
Language
English
Genres
Drama

Why Cult

Sexploitation Cinema

This film lands squarely in the late-60s sexploitation tradition, with explicit nudity and taboo-breaking content.

Hollywood Nightmare

A young woman's starry-eyed dreams are steamrolled by the predatory underbelly of Los Angeles showbiz, with every encounter more sordid than the last.

Vincene Wallace Lead

Vincene Wallace (credited as Vincene Craddock) takes center stage as Dee, enduring a cascade of abuse and indignity with grim tenacity.

Sixties Grindhouse Style

At just 65 minutes, this drama is a lean, mean, exploitation machine—unapologetically raw and rooted in the era's grindhouse circuit.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is A Sweet Sickness about? +

A Sweet Sickness follows Dee, a young actress from a small town, as she faces exploitation and abuse while trying to break into the Los Angeles theater scene.

When was A Sweet Sickness released? +

A Sweet Sickness was released in 1968.

Who directed A Sweet Sickness? +

A Sweet Sickness was directed by Jon Martin.

How long is A Sweet Sickness? +

A Sweet Sickness has a runtime of 65 minutes.

What genre is A Sweet Sickness? +

A Sweet Sickness is a drama film that also falls under sexploitation and exploitation categories.

Where can I watch A Sweet Sickness? +

A Sweet Sickness is available to stream on SassyFlix.