This non-pornographic film about a pornographic subject was based on Xaviera Hollander’s autobiography about her life as a prostitute.
Dutch girl Xaviera Hollander (Lynn Redgrave) emigrates to New York to marry but is abandoned by her bad apple fiancé, Carl (Nicholas Pryor), who is obsessed with his mother (Elizabeth Wilson).
Xaviera takes a well-paid secretarial job at the Dutch Embassy and an apartment and starts sampling the local male talent.
After a while, she decides to make her pleasure her business too, and as her reputation grows she graduates to a high-class bordello.
Soon she realises she has the right talents and ambitions – she loves sex and money – to make a real success of a place of her own.
After a while, she becomes the most successful madam in New York City and buys out the business of her former madam, Madeleine (the delightfully named Lovelady Powell) as well.
There is leather, there are chains, there is whipped cream and champagne and even the ingredients of a super sundae – all to keep the customers happy.
All is well until a corrupt cop (Richard Lynch) instigates a raid, sending her to prison. Xaviera’s attorney bails her out of jail and sets her up with a friend of his who is coming in from Montreal.
Two diminishing-returns sequels followed – The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington (1977) and The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood (1980). Lynn Redgrave wisely steered clear of both.
Xaviera Hollander
Lynn Redgrave Yves St. Jacques
Jean-Pierre Aumont Madeleine
Lovelady Powell Carl Gordon
Nicholas Pryor Mrs Gordon
Elizabeth Wilson J. Arthur Conrad
Tom Poston Fred
Conrad Janis Dick Tracy
Richard Lynch Lt. Taggart
Owen Hollander Henry Knowlton
Lee Wallace Chet
George Dzundza Steve
Kenneth Tigar Rosita
Dorothi Fox Dirty Harry
Barton Heyman Albert Ruffleson
Matthew Cowles Aurora
Pal Henry Nadine
Sharon Laughlin Lina Jo
Anita Morris April
Darlene Parks Chris
Trish Hawkins Lucille
Donna Mitchell Cynthia
Denise Galik Norma
Rochelle Oliver Rosie
May Olga Carlos
Guillermo Irizarry Lo-la
Wilhelmina Ross Blue Hair
Marilyn Thomas Cowgirl
Adrian James Red Hat
Chip Fields Tinker Bells
Lauren Simon Carla
Joan T. Scott Tinch
Inga Bunsch Ryan
Frank Aldrich Wilkins
Lou Bedford Petulia
Florence Tarlow Suzanne Knowlton
Gwendolyn Saska-brown Mr. Gordon
Robert Dryden Alex
John Ramsay Sonia
Jane Marie Scileppi Senator
Dan Resin Benson Garfield
Shanton Granger John Burden
Alek Primrose
Director
Nicholas Sgarro
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After a while, she decides to make her pleasure her business too, and as her reputation grows she graduates to a high-class bordello.
Xaviera Hollander
