What Is Private Parts About?
The premise of Private Parts in 296 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the waning glow of downtown Los Angeles, the King Edward Hotel stands as a crumbling relic, its faded grandeur and dim corridors hinting at secrets that linger long after the lights go out. The building’s oppressive atmosphere is a character in its own right—its cracked walls, aging carpet, and perpetual draft create a sense of confinement that feels both intimate and unsettling, a perfect backdrop for a story that walks the line between melancholy and menace.
Cheryl arrives at the hotel after a sudden break with her roommate, clutching only the remnants of a life she’s leaving behind. Seeking refuge, she discovers that the proprietor is her estranged aunt, Martha, a stern woman who clings to the notion that the King Edward is “one of the last respectable hotels in the city.” Martha’s rigid rules and distant demeanor set a tone of uneasy hospitality, offering Cheryl a fragile safety net while simultaneously urging her to stay within the hotel’s shadowed limits.
Within this labyrinthine setting, George emerges—a mysterious photographer who occupies the hotel’s basement darkroom. His presence is magnetic yet disquieting; he treats Cheryl with a tenderness that feels both protective and objectifying, as if she were a living sculpture. At the same time, a nameless resident prowls the dim hallways, exuding a palpable, unsettling energy that suggests something far more dangerous lurks just beyond the reach of ordinary guests.
The film swirls with a brooding, almost tactile tension, where desire and dread intertwine in the flickering neon of the hotel’s lobby and the echoing steps on its stairwells. As Cheryl navigates the fragile alliances and hidden currents of this decaying world, the audience is drawn into a suspenseful dance of curiosity and unease, wondering what—if anything—will emerge from the shadows of the King Edward.
What Happens in Private Parts?
The complete story of Private Parts, from the first scene to the last, in 750 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Cheryl Stratton, Ayn Ruymen, gets into an argument with her roommate Judy and decides to move out. Cheryl steals Judy’s wallet and, instead of returning to her native Ohio, heads to downtown Los Angeles to the King Edward Hotel, a dilapidated landmark run by her maternal Aunt Martha, Lucille Benson, whom she has never met. The brisk, conservative Martha allows Cheryl to stay temporarily, insisting she not wander the hotel at night, and she brands the place as “one of the last respectable hotels in the city.” > “one of the last respectable hotels in the city.” The uneasy arrangement sets the tone for a tenancy steeped in secrecy and unease as Cheryl begins to notice how peculiar the hotel’s guests and residents are.
Cheryl soon senses she is being watched. Judy’s boyfriend, Len Travis Mike, arrives at the hotel seeking Cheryl and is met by Reverend Moon, Laurie Main, a guest who dresses as a priest and moves with a blunt, unconventional stride. Soon after, Mike is attacked in an upstairs hallway by an unseen assailant, and his head is decapitated before his body is discarded in the hotel furnace. Later, at dinner, Cheryl asks about Martha’s daughter; Martha reveals the child was conceived via artificial insemination and implies that she is dead, a revelation that deepens Cheryl’s sense of isolation within the hotel’s walls.
Cheryl becomes drawn to George, a mysterious, handsome photographer who keeps a darkroom in the basement with Martha’s approval. George, played by John Ventantonio, begins leaving sexually charged notes for Cheryl, escalating to gifts of lingerie she is asked to model. Curious, Cheryl copies the hotel master keys and sneaks into George’s room, where she discovers a transparent inflatable sex doll and walls lined with avant-garde photos of nude women.
Judy Adams, Ann Gibbs, arrives at the hotel in search of Cheryl to reclaim her stolen money. Martha directs her to the basement darkroom, where an unseen assailant murders her. That night, Jeff, a young locksmith’s assistant who will later appear in the story, invites Cheryl on a date to a rock concert. Meanwhile, George fills his inflatable doll with water and attaches a blown-up headshot of Cheryl to its face, then injects the doll with his own blood via a hypodermic needle.
Tensions erupt during a quarrel between Martha and George, who accuses her of preventing him from pursuing the freedom he believes he deserves from “slatternly” female sexuality. That night, Cheryl dresses in the lingerie George left for her, and she is aware he watches her from a peephole as she undresses in the bathroom. After she leaves, George re-enters and takes back the lingerie, using it to dress his inflatable doll. The next morning, Martha discovers the discarded doll in the trash and orders Cheryl to return home. Jeff arrives later for his date with Cheryl, but the conversation reveals that he once dated a woman named Alice, a model who disappeared from the hotel and who was frightened by George. Cheryl, feeling protective of George, cancels the date and returns to the hotel.
Jeff follows Cheryl to the King Edward and confronts George, who is in his room listening to a taped recording of Alice’s murder. George bludgeons Jeff with a bottle and drags his body to the darkroom. When George returns to his room, he finds Cheryl posed on the bed in the lingerie, and he brandishes a hypodermic needle in a bid to stab her. An altercation ensues, and Cheryl unintentionally kills him by a falling stage light that smashes onto his head. Martha, alerted by the noise, enters the room and unbuttons George’s shirt to feel for a heartbeat—only to reveal that George has breasts and is a woman who has been cross-dressing and masquerading as a man. Martha proclaims that George’s spirit has been liberated from his body, and she had raised him as a man to shield him from female sexuality. She briefly offers Cheryl a chance to become her “new son,” but quickly turns on her, attacking with a large butcher knife.
The next day, Jeff’s father arrives with the police, who recover an unconscious Jeff in the darkroom beside Judy’s corpse. Upstairs, they discover George’s body alongside Martha’s corpse, Martha now dressed in Cheryl’s lingerie. As the police depart, Cheryl emerges from upstairs in a daze, repeating Martha’s creed about the King Edward being “one of the last respectable hotels in the city” and declaring that she must be extremely selective about its clientele.
Private Parts Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Cheryl leaves Judy after an argument and steals her wallet” to “Discovery and aftermath”. 14 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
Cheryl leaves Judy after an argument and steals her wallet
Cheryl Stratton argues with her roommate Judy and decides to move out of their shared space. She steals Judy's wallet before leaving, signaling the break with her old life. She travels to Los Angeles to check into the King Edward Hotel.
When:immediately after the argument Where:Judy's apartment
- 2
Cheryl checks into the King Edward Hotel
Cheryl arrives in downtown Los Angeles and checks into the dilapidated King Edward Hotel, operated by her maternal Aunt Martha. The hotel’s ambiance hints at deeper secrets among its peculiar guests. Martha allows Cheryl to stay but with a clear condition.
When:upon arrival Where:King Edward Hotel (Downtown Los Angeles)
- 3
Martha imposes the no-wandering rule
Martha enforces a strict rule that Cheryl must not wander the hotel at night. She frames the place as one of the last respectable hotels, which contrasts with the building’s strange atmosphere. Cheryl begins to sense she is being watched.
When:first night Where:King Edward Hotel
- 4
Mike arrives and is killed
Judy's boyfriend Mike shows up at the King Edward Hotel looking for Cheryl and is confronted by the Reverend Moon. An unseen assailant attacks him in an upstairs hallway, decapitates him, and throws his body into the hotel furnace. His death signals the hotel’s deadly undercurrents.
When:shortly after Mike's arrival Where:King Edward Hotel, upstairs hallway and furnace
- 5
Martha reveals about her daughter
During dinner, Cheryl asks about Martha's daughter. Martha reveals the child was conceived via artificial insemination and implies she is dead. The revelation deepens the sense that the family’s history is darker and more controlling.
When:that night Where:King Edward Hotel, dining room
- 6
Cheryl notices George and the hotel’s darkroom existence
Cheryl becomes aware of George, a handsome photographer who keeps a darkroom in the basement. He begins leaving sexually aggressive notes and gifts of lingerie for Cheryl. The unsettling dynamic between them starts to unfold.
When:in the days that follow Where:King Edward Hotel, basement/darkroom
- 7
Cheryl steals keys and investigates George
Cheryl steals the hotel master keys and makes copies to enter George's room. Inside, she discovers a transparent inflatable sex doll and walls lined with avant-garde nude photos. The voyeuristic atmosphere around George grows more disturbing.
When:the following night Where:George's room and basement darkroom
- 8
Judy is murdered in the basement
Judy arrives at the hotel searching for Mike and her stolen money but is directed to the basement darkroom. An unseen assailant murders her there, adding to the building’s aura of danger. The hotel’s darkness tightens its grip on the occupants.
When:that night Where:King Edward Hotel, basement darkroom
- 9
Jeff invites Cheryl to a concert
Jeff, a locksmith's employee, invites Cheryl on a date to a rock concert. The invitation pulls Cheryl further into the night’s plans, even as she remains wary of the hotel’s perilous surroundings. The evening promises distraction from the escalating tensions inside the King Edward.
When:that night Where:Hotel vicinity to a rock concert
- 10
George’s unsettling doll ritual
George fills the inflatable sex doll with water, attaches a blown-up headshot of Cheryl to its face, and injects his own blood into the doll. The macabre act reveals his disturbed fixation and blurs the line between art and violence. The doll becomes a symbol of his control and danger.
When:that night Where:George's room
Show the other 4 events of Private Parts Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Cheryl dons lingerie and is watched
Cheryl dresses in the lingerie George left for her and erotically undresses in the bathroom, aware that George watches from a peephole. He later takes the lingerie back and uses it to dress his inflatable doll, heightening the tension between them. The creepy surveillance underscores the hotel’s prying atmosphere.
When:that night Where:Cheryl's room
- 12
Jeff confronts George and is killed
Jeff follows Cheryl to the hotel and confronts George, who is listening to a taped recording of Alice's murder. George bludgeons Jeff with a bottle and drags his body to the darkroom, widening the body count and the room's menace.
When:that night Where:George's room/darkroom
- 13
Cheryl kills George and Martha reveals the truth
An altercation ends with Cheryl accidentally killing George when a stage light crashes down on him. Martha enters, unbuttons George's shirt, and reveals that George is actually her biological child, cross-dressing and raised as a son. She declares a twisted liberation and attacks Cheryl with a butcher knife.
When:the night of the confrontation Where:George's room
- 14
Discovery and aftermath
The next day, Jeff’s father arrives with police, who recover Jeff unconscious and Judy's corpse. They also discover George's body alongside Martha's, who is now dressed in Cheryl's lingerie. Cheryl, dazed, repeats Martha's phrase about the King Edward being 'one of the last respectable hotels' and the need to be 'extremely selective' about its clientele.
When:the following day Where:King Edward Hotel
Who Are the Main Characters in Private Parts?
10 characters, among them Cheryl Stratton — Ayn Ruymen, Aunt Martha — Lucille Benson and Reverend Moon — Laurie Main: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- CS
Cheryl Stratton — Ayn Ruymen
Played by Ayn Ruymen
A young woman who moves into the King Edward after stealing Judy’s wallet. Her curiosity about the hotel’s hidden world pulls her into a web of voyeurism, desire, and danger. She proves resourceful and relatively fearless, but remains increasingly unsettled by the hotel’s secrets and the menacing figures who inhabit it.
- 🎭 Protagonist
- 👀 Curious
- 🧭 Resourceful
- AM
Aunt Martha — Lucille Benson
Played by Lucille Benson
A brusque, conservative matriarch who runs the King Edward and controls who stays there. She hints at family secrets and reveals a disturbing philosophy about gender and sexuality, ultimately exposing a willingness to do violence to protect her worldview. Her actions frame the hotel as a crucible for morality and manipulation.
- 🎩 Authority
- 🧭 Control
- 🗝️ Secrets
- RM
Reverend Moon — Laurie Main
Played by Laurie Main
An eccentric guest who dresses as a priest and adds a surreal, unsettling flavor to the hotel’s atmosphere. His odd presence helps establish the King Edward as a place where conventional norms are bent, creating tension among the residents and amplifying the sense of mystery.
- 🎭 Oddity
- 🕯️ Mystery
- 👔 Authority
- G—
George — John Ventantonio
Played by John Ventantonio
A handsome photographer who uses a darkroom in the hotel and engages in coercive, sexually charged behavior. He constructs a life-like inflatable doll and embodies the film’s unsettling blend of artistry, desire, and danger. The revelation that George is a cross-dressed woman raised as a man adds a shocking twist about identity and repression.
- 🎨 Artist
- 💋 Seduction
- 🗡️ Danger
- JA
Judy Adams — Ann Gibbs
Played by Ann Gibbs
Cheryl’s former roommate who arrives at the hotel seeking her stolen money. She becomes entangled in the hotel’s dark undercurrents and is murdered, underscoring the peril that threads through the guests’ lives. Her presence highlights themes of trust, betrayal, and the hotel's menace.
- 💼 Victim
- 🕳️ Tragedy
- 🔐 Secrets
- M—
Mike — Len Travis
Played by Len Travis
Judy’s boyfriend who arrives searching for Cheryl and is attacked by an unseen assailant before meeting a fatal end. His fate adds to the hotel’s rising body count and the sense that the building harbors a predatory force.
- 💔 Lover
- 🕵️♂️ Investigative
- ⚠️ Danger
- J—
Jeff — Stanley Livingston
Played by Stanley Livingston
A locksmith’s helper who dates Cheryl and invites her to a rock concert. He becomes another victim of the hotel’s violence, and his connection to the building’s secret routes deepens the sense of entrapment within its walls.
- 🎶 Music
- 🕵️♂️ Investigative
- 👦 Love interest
- JD
Jeff's Dad — Charles Woolf
Played by Charles Woolf
A police-appearing figure whose presence signals the arrival of formal investigation into the hotel’s crimes. He represents external authority confronting the hotel’s internal chaos.
- 👨👦 Authority
- 🕵️♂️ Investigation
- 🔎 Tension
- FP
First Policeman — Gene SImms
Played by Gene Simms
A police officer who appears as part of the investigation into the murders surrounding the King Edward. He helps drive the plot toward its police procedural conclusion.
- 👮♂️ Police
- 🧭 Investigation
- 🗂️ Duty
- SP
Second Policeman — John Lupton
Played by John Lupton
Another officer assisting with the hotel murders, reinforcing the sense of closure through formal handling of the crimes.
- 👮♂️ Police
- 🕵️♂️ Enforcement
- 🔍 Inquiry
Where and When Is Private Parts Set?
Private Parts is set in King Edward Hotel and Downtown Los Angeles (Early 1970s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Early 1970s
The story unfolds in a contemporary urban setting that feels grounded in the early 1970s, suggested by the hotel’s decor, social dynamics, and a rock concert referenced in the plot. The era’s undercurrents of sexuality, rebellion, and boundary-pushing visuals are woven into the hotel’s atmosphere. It presents a time when urban spaces could feel both modern and seedy, blurring lines between propriety and transgression.
Where
King Edward Hotel, Downtown Los Angeles
The King Edward Hotel is depicted as a dilapidated downtown Los Angeles lodging house run by Aunt Martha. It functions as a confined world where guests’ façades slip away, revealing hidden desires and dangers. The building’s layout—with peepholes, a basement darkroom, and secret corridors—creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that drives much of the story’s tension.
- 🏨 Urban hotel
- 🕰️ Decay
- 🔍 Secrets
What Are the Themes of Private Parts?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Identity, Voyeurism and Decay.
-
01
Identity
The film probes gender presentation and identity through George, a photographer who lives as a man but is revealed to be a cross-dressed female. Aunt Martha’s belief that she can shape or “correct” sexuality adds another layer to how identity is regulated within the hotel. Cheryl’s encounter with these dynamics forces her to confront appearances versus reality in a controlled, voyeuristic setting. The theme underscores how clothing, performance, and perception govern social interaction.
-
02
Voyeurism
Peepholes and viewing angles permeate the hotel, turning private moments into public spectacle. The characters operate under constant surveillance, complicating consent and safety. George’s surveillance-driven notes and the hidden cameras intensify a mood of predation. The setting uses sight and exposure to reveal uglier truths about desire, power, and danger.
-
03
Decay
The King Edward Hotel embodies urban decay, presenting a once-respectable facade that hides something rotting beneath. The environment mirrors the characters’ moral erosion as violence, manipulation, and secrecy accumulate. The dilapidated hotel becomes a microcosm where old social norms collide with transgressive behavior.
-
04
Secrets & Control
Aunt Martha exerts tight control over the hotel and its inhabitants, enforcing rules that mask deeper control over others’ lives. The discovery of hidden rooms, master keys, and manipulated identities shows how power operates behind closed doors. The tension between protection and domination drives the narrative toward its shocking revelations.
What Kind of Film Is Private Parts?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
An unsettling and claustrophobic thriller set in a decaying hotel, where a runaway teen is drawn into a web of voyeurism, murder, and grotesque family secrets, creating a persistently anxious and seedy atmosphere.
- creepy
- claustrophobic
- anxious
- sleazy
- unsettling
- seedy
- psychological thriller
- sexual obsession
- identity and gender
- runaway
Content notes: decapitation, murder, voyeurism, psychological manipulation.
Quiz
How well do you remember Private Parts? Test yourself on the story.
