Melvin, Son of Alvin is a 1984 Australian comedy film. It is a sequel to Alvin Purple,[3] but also was released in the United States and the United Kingdom under the title Foreplay.

Melvin, Son of Alvin
Directed byJohn Eastway
Written byMorris Gleitzman
Produced byJames McElory
StarringGerry Sont
Graeme Blundell
CinematographyRoss Berryman
Edited byJohn Hollands
Music byColin Stead
Production
company
McElroy & McElroy
Distributed byRoadshow Films
Release date
  • 20 December 1984 (1984-12-20)
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
BudgetA$2.3 million[1]
Box officeA$751,143 (Australia)[2]

Plot

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Dee Tanner, a television reporter, is doing an article on the sexiest man on Earth. She tracks down Alvin Purple and discovers he has a son, Melvin, who is similarly irresistible to women. However, Melvin is scared of women, and is a virgin.

Melvin begins a relationship with a young Greek-Australian girl, Gloria, whose mother is very protective of her. The television reporter reunites Melvin with his father, who is performing as a nightclub singer and is the leader of a cult called the 'Purple People'.

Cast

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Production

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Production of the film was twice delayed when major backers pulled out prior to the filming date. Before the film's release, three cuts were ordered to enable the movie to get an M rating.[4]

Reception

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Filmink magazine later said "the success of T&A American comedies in the early 80s seems to have inspired this late sequel, which took the one joke concept (homely man is irresistible to women) and made it a no-joke concept by making it about a handsome male model type who is irresistible to women, replacing that with various Porky's-era tropes".[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Production Survey", Cinema Papers, July 1984 p167
  2. ^ "Australian Films at the Australian Box Office", Film Victoria Archived 28 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine accessed 24 October 2012
  3. ^ David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p.309
  4. ^ Paul Harris, "Melvin: Son of Alvin", Australian Film 1978-1992, Oxford Uni Press, 1993 p148
  5. ^ Vagg, Stephen (29 February 2020). "Top Ten 10BA Knock Offs". Filmink.
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