The Playbirds is a British crime thriller movie released in 1978. The film begins with a series of gruesome murders of the beautiful centrefolds of Playbirds magazine. The police are unable to make any progress in the investigation when the police commissioner assigns the attractive policewoman Lucy Sheridan to work undercover as a model for the magazine. She is tasked with solving the case by identifying the killer before he strikes again.
Lucy Sheridan, played by Mary Millington, is a confident and sexually liberated woman who is ready to do whatever it takes to solve the case. She is tasked with seducing the owner of the Playbirds magazine, a wealthy and powerful man named Harry Dougan, played by Alan Lake. Lucy succeeds in winning the trust of Dougan, who invites her to stay at his luxurious mansion.
As the investigation progresses, Lucy becomes more convinced that Harry Dougan is behind the murders. However, she faces the challenge of proving her theory since Dougan’s alibi always holds up. She must now push herself to the limit and risk everything, including her own life, to uncover the truth.
The Playbirds received mixed reviews upon its release, with some critics praising the performances of the actors and the plot’s twists and turns, while others criticized the movie's exploitative nature. Despite the criticism, The Playbirds remains a cult classic, largely due to the performance of Mary Millington, who tragically committed suicide a year after the film's release.