I seldom give a rating of 1 but this movie wholeheartedly earned it. Its plot (such as it is) revolves around a 40 something year old man named George, who is in some sort of sexual mid life crisis, wanting to feel young, attractive, and virile again. He finds that his beautiful and intelligent girlfriend, Samantha (Julie Andrews) is inadequate in eliciting such feelings. He thus fantasizes over a young, perfectly proportioned bride named Jenny (Bo Derek) and becomes rather pathetically obsessed.
Indeed, this entire movie is rather pathetic. Where to begin?
How about the cast? George is played by Dudley Moore, whom I loved in Arthur. Woody Allen, the master neurotic, might have been a more suitable choice. Julie Andrews is one of my favorite actresses, whether singing (Sound of Music etc.) or drama (The Tamarind Seed). It is unbelievable that she stooped to the level of this supposedly erotic drivel. I guess she was attempting at the time to dispense with her goody goody image and project mature sexiness. Also, I believe she is married to this sorry film's director, Blake Edwards. As for Bo Derek, yes, she has a perfect body and those braids became a legend. Nothing more of note here regarding her. She's simply a body in this movie.
The entire theme of this middle aged idiot's sexual fantasies would, frankly, have been better left unexplored. The concept of males rating females on a scale from 1 to 10 (Jenny gets an 11) is neither a novel one nor something to be encouraged. Of course this film made an art form out of the practice. Where was the outcry from the feminists at the time?
Pity also, the desecration of Ravel's Bolero. Perhaps Maurice Ravel, its composer, intended the work to be sexy (privately), perhaps not. I'm not that familiar with him. However, it is a magnificent composition and I can hardly believe that Ravel ever meant it as cinematic accompaniment to George and Jenny's bedding. Poor Ravel. I suspect he might be spinning in his grave.
That about does it. I've already wasted far too much time just watching this movie, best not to waste any more writing about it. Suffice it to say, I can think of few films less deserving of their fame.
Indeed, this entire movie is rather pathetic. Where to begin?
How about the cast? George is played by Dudley Moore, whom I loved in Arthur. Woody Allen, the master neurotic, might have been a more suitable choice. Julie Andrews is one of my favorite actresses, whether singing (Sound of Music etc.) or drama (The Tamarind Seed). It is unbelievable that she stooped to the level of this supposedly erotic drivel. I guess she was attempting at the time to dispense with her goody goody image and project mature sexiness. Also, I believe she is married to this sorry film's director, Blake Edwards. As for Bo Derek, yes, she has a perfect body and those braids became a legend. Nothing more of note here regarding her. She's simply a body in this movie.
The entire theme of this middle aged idiot's sexual fantasies would, frankly, have been better left unexplored. The concept of males rating females on a scale from 1 to 10 (Jenny gets an 11) is neither a novel one nor something to be encouraged. Of course this film made an art form out of the practice. Where was the outcry from the feminists at the time?
Pity also, the desecration of Ravel's Bolero. Perhaps Maurice Ravel, its composer, intended the work to be sexy (privately), perhaps not. I'm not that familiar with him. However, it is a magnificent composition and I can hardly believe that Ravel ever meant it as cinematic accompaniment to George and Jenny's bedding. Poor Ravel. I suspect he might be spinning in his grave.
That about does it. I've already wasted far too much time just watching this movie, best not to waste any more writing about it. Suffice it to say, I can think of few films less deserving of their fame.