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As a change of pace Russell did a lighter piece, The Boyfriend, in 1971. This was a commercial failure. He then completed his most autobiographical film, Savage Messiah, funding it with his own money, another failure. The film cost $750,000.
Rather than film the musical The Boy Friend, Russell made the film about the making of the musical. When the star of a show breaks a leg, the newcomer, Twiggy, has to take her place. A major film director comes to look at the show as a possible new film.
The film was badly cut by the studio before release. Russell himself says (The Lion Roars) "but twelve reels are too long to tell such a slim tale, and Sandy Wilson's music, however tuneful, has diminishing returns, as one pastiche Twenties number follows another". The imagery however is stunning.
It was filmed in Portsmouth in the Theatre Royal. Russell wanted to film in a theatre rather than a film studio. In a case of reality imitating art, as preparation Russell and Twiggy went to an amateur production of The Boyfriend in Essex and they caused the same reaction as in the film with the famous director visiting the amateur production.
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