Nicolas Roeg - Performance - 1970

Chas is an East London thug who works for gangster Harry Flowers and his associates (although they don't use the word gangster to describe themselves). Chas is generally sadistic in his nature and thus revels in his work. But his sadistic nature also pervades his personal life. As such, he will work on his own personal agenda outside of the work for Harry. It is in this vein that an encounter with Joey Maddocks, a man with whom Chas has a history, leads to Chas needing to hide out from Harry and his associates. Ultimately Chas feels he needs to clandestinely leave the country. In the meantime, he, based solely on a private conversation he overhears between strangers, manages to take refuge in the basement of a Notting Hill flat owned by a man named Turner, who lives there with two female companions named Pherber and Lucy. Chas considers their lifestyle bohemian and one of free love, which is outside of his mentality. Turner is an ex-rock musician who has lost his "demon" and thus his desire to be a performer. As Chas makes arrangements for his departure out of England, he gets caught up in Turner's lifestyle, Turner who is working on his own agenda in spending time with Chas.