Mary McDonnell, born in 1952, is an American actress who made her mark in cult cinema with her role in Money on the Side (1982). This film highlights her ability to navigate complex characters, a skill she would refine in later acclaimed performances. Known for her versatility, McDonnell's work spans various genres, but her early foray into exploitation films like Money on the Side adds a unique layer to her filmography, connecting her to the gritty narratives that define cult cinema.
Money on the Side
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.
