Hard Copy

In this 1985 British drama, Charlotte (played by Lisa Eichhorn) is a young and ambitious reporter working for a London newspaper. Charlotte's editor tasks her with writing an exposé about a notorious sex club, notorious for its explicit clientele and unbridled hedonism. Despite her initial reservations, Charlotte accepts the challenge, driven by her desire for promotion and a greater sense of professional credibility. As Charlotte delves deeper into the world of the sex club, she begins to overcome her inhibitions and confronts her own conservative upbringing and values. With each successive visit to the club, Charlotte becomes increasingly entwined in the lives of its patrons, who are an eclectic mix of artists, intellectuals, and hedonists. Her investigation, however, also brings her into contact with Simon (played by Keith Barron), the club's enigmatic owner. Simon is charming and charismatic, as he skillfully manipulates those around him for his own ends. As Charlotte becomes more familiar with Simon, she finds herself increasingly attracted to him, despite her reservations about his motives. Throughout the novel and subsequent film adaptation, it is gradually revealed that Simon has a complex and often self-serving personality. While his charm and charisma are undeniable, Simon uses these traits to get what he wants from those around him. He is a master manipulator, who effortlessly exploits the desires and weaknesses of those he encounters. As Charlotte continues to investigate the sex club, she finds herself torn between her professional obligations and her growing emotional connection with Simon. Charlotte becomes increasingly trapped by the very world she had set out to expose, a world where moral boundaries are constantly tested and pushed to the limits. Despite the increasingly sordid nature of her involvement with Simon and the sex club, Charlotte finds herself drawn to the excitement and sensuality of this new world. This fascination with the unbridled hedonism of the club serves only to further entangle her in its grasp. Charlotte's personal life also becomes increasingly compromised as a result of her growing relationship with Simon. As she becomes more and more obsessed with Simon, she finds herself neglecting her responsibilities at work and damaging her professional relationships. In an attempt to break free from the toxic influence of Simon, Charlotte attempts to leave the sex club and extricate herself from the manipulative grasp of its charismatic owner. Charlotte's attempts to break free from the club and its hold on her life, however, ultimately result in her being torn between her professional obligations and her own desires. As she becomes increasingly entrenched in her relationship with Simon, the line between reality and fantasy becomes increasingly blurred. The film ends on a somber note, as Charlotte is forced to confront the consequences of her involvement with Simon and the sex club. Despite her best intentions, Charlotte has been manipulated by Simon into playing a key role in exposing the club's most unsavory aspects to the public. As a direct result of Charlotte's reporting, the club is destroyed, and its patrons, including Simon, are either injured or left to pick up the pieces. Charlotte's personal life is also left in ruins, her professional relationships damaged, and her mental state left compromised by her involvement with Simon and the sex club. In the end, Charlotte is forced to confront the true nature of her involvement with Simon, a man whose true nature she had initially failed to see through her desire for excitement, passion and a connection. The film concludes with Charlotte finally beginning to confront the consequences of her actions and come to terms with the reality of her involvement with Simon and the sex club. As Charlotte attempts to rebuild her shattered life, she comes to see that her relationship with Simon has left her with a deeper understanding of the power and danger that can reside in the most seemingly liberating of experiences.