Performance/Fun Facts

• The sex scenes between Mick Jagger and Anita Pallenberg upset Jagger's fellow The Rolling Stones member Keith Richards. Richards, who was Pallenberg's lover at the time, was reported to have lurked outside the set in a foul mood. Pallenberg had previously been the partner of another Stones member, Brian Jones, who, according to Alex Cox (presenter of BBC2's Moviedrome), partly inspired the character of Turner.

• Most of the audience walked out of the first preview screening. The release was delayed for two years while it was re-edited three times. Editor Frank Mazzola used montage of images and time jumps which later became his trademark style.

• Keith Richards was so angry about the sex scenes between Mick Jagger and his girlfriend Pallenberg that he refused to play while the Stones recorded "Memo from Turner" for the soundtrack. Ry Cooder filled in, giving the song its signature slide guitar accompaniment.

• The scene in which Chas is escorted out of Powis Square by thugs has one shot which has been reversed; if you look carefully you'll see a boy walking backward and cars driving in reverse.

• At a test screening in Santa Monica in March 1970, one Warner executive's wife vomited with shock in response to the film and paying customers had to be offered their money back.

• Some of the 16mm footage of sex scenes were so explict that the film processing lab refused to develop it, referring to obscenity laws, and instead went on destroying it with hammer and chisel.

• Was filmed in 1968, but vaulted for 2 years by its distributor, Warner Bros

• Tuesday Weld was supposed to play Pherber and Mia Farrow was up for the part of Lucy, but they were both injured before filming started and had to be replaced.

• Director Donald Cammell arranged for James Fox to spend time with real East London gangsters to help prepare his character.

• The film was partly inspired by the writer Jorge Borges (in particular the theme of identity crisis); references to Borges abound, including his portrait near the end of the film.

• The films original scripted title was "The Liars", then it was changed to "The Performers" and eventually the more existential title "Performance."

• Turner's address in the film is 81 Powis Square. Exterior shots were actually filmed at number 25 Powis Square, whilst interior shooting was done at 15 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, the house of Leonard Plugge. The neighbours of the latter address were paid to go on holiday for the duration of the shoot, during which time the cast lived in the house.

• Anita Pallenberg replaced the pregnant Marianne Faithfull.

• The principle photography for Performance began on Monday, July 26, 1968.

• Producer Sandy Lieberson gave Philippe Mora the 35MM short ends of Performance to film his first feature film Trouble In Molopolis.

• When trying to psych Chas out, Turner pretends he has seen his show, and asks Pherber when this was: "'67? '68? '69?" The film was initially due for release in 1968 but held up until 1970, rendering this bit of dialogue slightly pointless.

• Marlon Brando was originally offered the role of the criminal, but he declined.

• According to a recent book on Donald Cammell, Anthony Valentine is said to have not only disliked working on the film, but the film as well.