Emmanuelle ** (1974, Sylvia Kristel, Alain Cuny, Marika Green, Daniel Sarky) – Classic Movie Review 8908

Director Just Jaeckin’s 1974 French X-movie sex drama Emmanuelle is soft-focus, soft-core porn, with Sylvia Kristel propelled to stardom finding a surprise enormous international hit as Emmanuelle, an embassy official’s beautiful young model wife, filling in the boring hours in Bangkok with sex.

Alain Cuny brings some class as Mario, the middle-aged man dallying with and initiating the heroine. Daniel Sarky plays her tolerant husband Jean, who is several years older. Emmanuelle becomes interested in the young Marie-Ange (Christine Boisson) and especially the older Bee (Marika Green).

What can you say?  It is fair to say that no other adult film has received wider notoriety, popularity or even acclaim. Emmanuelle is pretty harmless and Jaeckin handles it with degree of elegance. It cost only $500,000 and took a fortune.

Also in the cast are Marika Green, Jeanne Colletin, Christine Boisson, and Gabriel Briand [Gaby Brian].

The screenplay by Jean-Louis Richard is based on the novel by Emmanuelle Arsan that sold more than a million copies in 17 different languages.

Emmanuelle is directed by Just Jaeckin, runs 105 minutes, is made by Trinacra Films, Orphée Productions, is released by Parafrance Films (1974) (France) and Columbia Pictures (1974) (US) (dubbed), is written by Jean-Louis Richard, based on the novel by Emmanuelle Arsan, is shot in Eastmancolor by Richard Suzuki and Marie Saunier, is produced by Yves Rousset-Rouard and scored by Pierre Bachelet.

There are several different versions: 105 minutes, 89 minutes (R-rated), 93 minutes (cut) and 90 minutes (DVD).

Lots of sequels (17 years later Kristel was still making Emmanuelle Forever), spin-offs and imitators followed, including the Italian film series Black Emmanuelle, and even a Carry On movie parody in 1978, Carry On Emmannuelle.

There are 12 sequels so far, starting with Emmanuelle II and Emmanuelle 3, both with Kristel.

Jaeckin and Kristel teamed again for Lady Chatterley’s Lover in 1981.

RIP Sylvia Kristel, who died at age 60 of cancer in her sleep on 18 October 2012.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8908

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