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The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle

  • 1980
  • TV-MA
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
Paul Cook, Steve Jones, John Lydon, Glen Matlock, Malcolm McLaren, Sid Vicious, and Helen Wellington-Lloyd in The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (1980)
Music DocumentaryComedyDocumentaryFantasyMusic

Filmmaker Julien Temple chronicles the Sex Pistols' tumultuous rise to fame, as told by their manager, Malcolm McLaren.Filmmaker Julien Temple chronicles the Sex Pistols' tumultuous rise to fame, as told by their manager, Malcolm McLaren.Filmmaker Julien Temple chronicles the Sex Pistols' tumultuous rise to fame, as told by their manager, Malcolm McLaren.

  • Director
    • Julien Temple
  • Writer
    • Julien Temple
  • Stars
    • Malcolm McLaren
    • Sid Vicious
    • Steve Jones
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    2.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Julien Temple
    • Writer
      • Julien Temple
    • Stars
      • Malcolm McLaren
      • Sid Vicious
      • Steve Jones
    • 32User reviews
    • 41Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos37

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    Top Cast36

    Malcolm McLaren
    Malcolm McLaren
    • The Embezzler
    Sid Vicious
    Sid Vicious
    • The Gimmick
    Steve Jones
    Steve Jones
    • The Crook
    Paul Cook
    Paul Cook
    • The Tea-Maker
    John Lydon
    John Lydon
    • The Collaborator
    • (as Johnny Rotten)
    Ronald Biggs
    • The Exile
    • (as Ronnie Biggs)
    Liz Fraser
    Liz Fraser
    • Woman in Cinema
    Jess Conrad
    Jess Conrad
    • Jess
    Mary Millington
    • Mary, The Crook's girlfriend
    James Aubrey
    James Aubrey
    • B.J
    Julian Holloway
    Julian Holloway
    • Man
    Johnny Shannon
    Johnny Shannon
    • Man in Prison Cage
    Helen Wellington-Lloyd
    • Helen
    • (as Helen of Troy)
    Edward Tudor-Pole
    Edward Tudor-Pole
    • Tadpole (kiosk attendant)
    • (as Tenpole Tudor)
    Faye Hart
    • Secretary
    Alan Jones
    Alan Jones
    • Record Executive
    Irene Handl
    Irene Handl
    • Cinema Usherette
    Judy Croll
    • Soo Catwoman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Julien Temple
    • Writer
      • Julien Temple
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews32

    6.42.5K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Fantasy
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    Music

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      Sting appeared in a brief scene as the leader of a gay band, The Blow Waves, which attempts to kidnap Paul Cook, but the footage was cut. It later reappeared in the documentary The Filth and the Fury (2000).
    • Goofs
      Towards the end of Sid Vicious' Punk rendition of Paul Anka/Frank Sinatra's "My Way", he pulls a revolver out of his pocket and starts shooting at the audience. He fires eight shots, which is more bullets than a revolver can hold.
    • Quotes
      • Girl with ants on face: The Sex Pistols - a walking abortion. The Sex Pistols are nothing but a bunch of irresponsible half-dead lumps. But the best are born.
      • The Crook: I was only in it for the birds after the show.
      • Girl with ants on face: You, Steve Jones, are nothing but a walking dildo doing a good plumbing job. You'd swim through a river of snot, wade nostril deep through a mile of vomit, as long as you thought there was a sexy cunt at the end of it - and those cunts! Daddy's girl! Daddy's girls are in awe of the Sex Pistols! They really believe that what they're grooving to bores them to shit! Daddy's girls are just hot water bottles with tits. Why are they so fucking successful, the Sex Pistols? And the Sex Pistols like death, it excites them sexually. In the end, you see, it all comes down to one thing: they have a sort of negative Midas touch - everything they touch turns to shit!
    • Connections
      Featured in Sid Vicious: My Way (1978)
    • Soundtracks
      My Way
      (Comme d'Habitude)
      Music by Claude François and Jacques Revaux
      French lyrics by Gilles Thibaut
      English lyrics by Paul Anka
      Performed by Sid Vicious

    Top picks

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    Details

    • Release date
      • December 1980 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Who Killed Bambi?
    • Filming locations
      • Great Windmill Street, Soho, London, England, UK(exterior of Moulin Cinema)
    • Production companies
      • Boyd's Company
      • Kendon Films
      • Matrixbest
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 43m(103 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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