Helen Mirren Madam Film Bombs -- Topless Stunt Nets Mirren Nothing, Love Ranch Fails

Love Ranch was no love match for Helen Mirren and her director husband Taylor Hackford. The film flopped at the U.S. box office according to The Sun, which cost a whopping $10 million pounds to make. Selling only 90,000 pounds in ticket sales the first month out, it didn't even net a 10 percent return on the investors' investment.

"It's a disaster," one executive told the press.

Mirren's Willingness to go Topless Fails

Mirren, who said she went to a brothel for a whole day to "research" her role, also shed her shirt in an effort to drum up interest and support for the movie being directed by her husband Taylor, but to no avail. American moviegoers seemed to eschew seeing the 65-year-old actress in a role many said degraded her acting abilities.

Those who might have enjoyed a movie with such sexual overtones prefer younger, firmer, women in the starring roles. Mirren, although in good shape for her age, was unable to compete with younger actress in this regard, thus limiting the movie's potential at the box office. The Sun reported that Love Ranch is likely to go straight to DVD now, in spite of Helen Mirren's willingness to go topless to promote it prior to its opening in the U.S.

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Source: The Sun, August 9, 2010