Emmanuelle – 1974
Director
Just Jaeckin

Writers
Emmanuelle Arsan (novel)
Jean-Louis Richard

Cast
Sylvia Kristel
Alain Cuny
Marika Green

Review by Wayne Malin

Silly sex movie,

Emmanuelle (Sylvia Kristel) is happily married to an older man (she’s about 20, he’s 50s). He has no problem with her sleeping with other people (men AND women) and even hires an older man to teach her how to be a good lover.

Yawn.

I saw this at an movie house that showed old movies back in the early 1980s.

It was showing as the midnight movie and a bunch of guys at my college encouraged me to see it. (Actually, I’m gay but I was closeted then). What I saw was a beautifully photographed, very sensuous but BORING film! Afterwords the guys agreed with me–they all hated it too–they said it was the most boring X rated film they had ever seen (these are STRAIGHT college boys)!

Film looks great but there’s no plot and no motivation. Kristel is certainly beautiful but can’t act. There’s plenty of female nudity–no male nudity at all. Even the sex isn’t that explicit! The one somewhat explicit sex scene is between two women–and NOTHING is really shown! I can’t believe this still has an X–I’ve seen more explicit R rated films.

Still, historically, this IS an important film. It caused a major uproar in 1974 and was actually considered a serious art film (for a while). Still, the entertainment value is nil. Very dull and slow. Don’t bother.