Kinky Boots is a 2005 British comedy-drama film directed by Julian Jarrold and written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth. Nominated for Best Film at the 64th Golden Globe Awards, it is based on a true story. The film tells of struggling shoe factory owner Charlie, who forms an unlikely partnership with Lola, a drag queen, to save the business. Charlie develops a plan to produce custom footwear for drag queens, rather than the men's dress shoes that his firm is known for, alienating many in the process.
| Kinky Boots | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Julian Jarrold |
| Written by | Geoff Deane Tim Firth |
| Produced by | Suzanne Mackie Nick Barton Peter Ettedgui Mairi Brett |
| Starring | Joel Edgerton Chiwetel Ejiofor Sarah-Jane Potts Jemima Rooper Linda Bassett Nick Frost Robert Pugh |
| Cinematography | Eigil Bryld |
| Edited by | Emma E. Hickox |
| Music by | Adrian Johnston |
Production companies | Miramax Films Harbour Pictures |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures Distribution |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 106 minutes[1] |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $9,950,133[2] |
Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, it later developed a cult following and inspired the 2013 stage musical of the same name.[3]
Plot
editIn Northampton, in the East Midlands of England, Charlie Price is attempting to save the family shoe factory, which has been floundering since his father died. While on a business trip to London to sell the company's extra stock, Charlie encounters a woman being harassed by drunken hoodlums and intervenes to his detriment. He wakes up backstage, in the dressing room of Lola, a drag queen performer and alter ego of Simon. Charlie is intrigued when he sees that drag queens' high heels snap easily, and wishes to create high heels that can support a greater range of foot sizes and body types. Back in Northampton, while in the process of laying off workers, one employee, Lauren, gives Charlie the idea of looking for a niche market product to save the business. Charlie then recruits Lauren to assist him in designing a high-heeled boot for drag performers.
When their initial designs are met with scorn by Lola, Charlie and Lauren bring her on as a consultant. The road is initially bumpy: many of the male employees are uncomfortable with Lola's presence and the new direction, and Charlie's relationship with his fiancée, Nicola, begins to deteriorate as she encourages him to sell the factory building to a developer. Although things improve when Lola tones down her personality and starts making friends, matters take a turn for the worse when Charlie is invited to showcase the new boots in Milan; the strain he puts on his employees causes most of them, including Lola, to walk out.
Charlie's fiancée arrives at the factory, furious that he took out a second mortgage on their house to save the company. Nicola insists that he sell the company, but Charlie is determined to save it and the jobs of his employees. The argument (which ends with Nicola leaving Charlie) is broadcast on the factory's PA system, which is overheard by Lauren and Lola's bitterest opponent at the factory, Don, a chauvinistic male worker. Don turns over a new leaf after Lola had graciously allowed him to win an arm wrestling match, and rallies the factory workers to make the boots in time for Charlie and Lauren to get to Milan. When Charlie catches Nicola with another man, he angrily takes out his frustrations on Lola, causing Lola to quit. After arriving in Milan with no one to model the boots, Charlie is forced to go onstage and model the boots himself. After he trips and ultimately falls flat on his face, Lola and her posse of drag queens arrive, put on a spectacular runway show, and save the day.
In the film's denouement, Lola headlines her own show and sings a song in honour of the "kinky boots factory" of Northampton. Most of the key workers are in attendance and enjoying themselves, including Charlie and Lauren, who have become a couple.
Cast
edit- Joel Edgerton as Charlie Price
- Sebastian Hurst-Palmer as Young Charlie Price
- Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lola/Simon
- Courtney Phillips as Young Lola/Simon
- Sarah-Jane Potts as Lauren
- Jemima Rooper as Nicola Marsden
- Nick Frost as Don Burton
- Linda Bassett as Melanie
- Robert Pugh as Harold Price
- Ewan Hooper as George
- Stephen Marcus as Big Mike
- Mona Hammond as Pat
- Kellie Bright as Jeannie
- Joanna Scanlan as Trish
- Geoffrey Streatfeild as Richard Bailey
- Leo Bill as Harry Sampson
Background
editAn episode of BBC2 documentary series Trouble at the Top, broadcast on 24 February 1999, inspired the film.[4] It featured Steve Pateman who was struggling with possible closure of W.J. Brooks Ltd, a family-controlled shoe factory in Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, that soon catered to the market of men wearing traditionally women's shoes, such as black patent boots, under the "Divine" brand.[4] Many of the film's scenes were filmed in the factory used by Tricker's in Northampton.[5]
It is mentioned in management as an example of agility and customer centricity.[6]
Soundtrack
editThe Kinky Boots: Original Soundtrack was released on April 11, 2006, by Hollywood Records.[7]
- "Whatever Lola Wants" – Chiwetel Ejiofor (2:12)
- "In These Shoes" – Kirsty MacColl (3:39)
- "I Want to Be Evil" – Chiwetel Ejiofor (2:34)
- "Mr. Big Stuff" – Lyn Collins (4:00)
- "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" – James Brown (3:17)
- "I Put a Spell on You" – Nina Simone (2:36)
- "The Prettiest Star" – David Bowie (3:09)
- "Together We Are Beautiful" – Chiwetel Ejiofor (4:10)
- "Yes Sir I Can Boogie" – Chiwetel Ejiofor (4:20)
- "Wild Is the Wind" – Nina Simone (6:59)
- "The Red Shoes" – Adrian Johnston (4:26)
- "Steel Shank" – Adrian Johnston (3:39)
- "Free to Walk" – Adrian Johnston (3:39)
The following songs are included in the film but are not on the Original Soundtrack:
- “My Heart Belongs to Daddy" – Chiwetel Ejiofor
- “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” – Chiwetel Ejiofor
- "Cha Cha Heels" - Chiwetel Ejiofor
- "Summer Holiday" – Jemima Rooper
Release
editCritical response
editThe film received mixed reviews on release, with critics[who?] decrying the "formulaic Britcom plot". On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 58% based on 113 reviews, with a weighted average score of 5.8/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Kinky Boots relies heavily on the Full Monty formula of Britcoms, while playing it too safe in a desperate attempt not to offend. Ejiofor's performance is its redeeming virtue."[8]
Box office
editThe film earned a total of $9,941,428 internationally.[2]
Awards
editEjiofor was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.[9][10]
Musical adaptation
editA stage musical adaptation debuted on Broadway in April 2013, following an out-of-town try-out at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago. The songs were composed by Cyndi Lauper, and the book co-written by Harvey Fierstein,[11] director Jerry Mitchell was also the choreographer.[12] The Chicago cast included eventual Broadway cast members Billy Porter and Stark Sands.[13] At the 67th Tony Awards (2013), the Broadway production won six Tony Awards, including Best Original Score (Lauper, first sole female winner), Best Actor (Porter) and Best Musical.[14] As of September 2024, a feature film adaptation of the musical is being planned.[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "KINKY BOOTS (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. 23 August 2005. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- ^ a b Kinky Boots (2006) at Box Office Mojo
- ^ "Fast Facts About Kinky Boots".
- ^ a b Dowd, Vincent (18 June 2013). "BBC News - Kinky Boots inspiration comes out of the shadows". Bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ^ "Getting to the roots of Kinky Boots". Northampton Borough Council. 4 September 2018. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ "The Kinky Boots of SCM "How far would you go to save your supply chain?"". Archived from the original on 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ "Kinky Boots: Original Soundtrack". iTunes. January 2005. Archived from the original on 11 February 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
- ^ "Kinky Boots". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
- ^ Holland, Patrick. "The Old Guard's Chiwetel Ejiofor says dancing in 6-inch Kinky Boots memorably scared him". CNET. Archived from the original on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ "Kinky Boots". www.goldenglobes.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Kinky Boots Musical Will Kick It Up in Chicago in October, Prior to Broadway". Archived 2013-11-03 at the Wayback Machine Playbill.com, February 22, 2012
- ^ Jones, Kenneth (8 July 2008). "Kinky Boots, the Musical, Walking Toward Broadway". Playbill. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
- ^ Jones, Chris. "'Kinky Boots' announces full cast". ChicagoTribune.com, June 28, 2012
- ^ Purcell, Carey (9 June 2013). "Kinky Boots, Vanya and Sonia, Pippin and Virginia Woolf? Are Big Winners at 67th Annual Tony Awards". Playbill. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
- ^ "Cyndi Lauper Reveals KINKY BOOTS Musical Movie May be in the Works".
