Despite its William Castle/Roger Corman exploitation-style structure, LA RAGE AU CORPS has its poignant moments and touches of cinematic brilliance. Book-ended by a mental institution authority addressing the audience, it deals with the sticky subject of young female nymphomania. The American title, TEMPEST IN THE FLESH is rather cheap. The lead role is played by a suitably stunning Francoise Arnoul, one of Europe's celebrated "Femme fatale". (Interestingly, she plays opposite Raymond Pellegrin who starred with Brigitte Bardot in a similarly themed film, LA LUMIERE D'EN FACE that was built entirely around Bardot's breasts. Both films feature the lead actress taking a graphically nude swim for no apparent reason other than to send audience pulses racing.) In RAGE AU CORPS, "Clara" makes an earnest effort to curb her promiscuity by marrying an honourable man, leaving the heavily male-populated construction job where they met and settling in Paris. But the moment her new husband goes away on business, she falls back into lusty "amateur hooker" mode. Inevitably, something violent occurs which lands her in hospital. The film ends with her husband visiting her after a lengthy life-threatening operation. She slowly awakes. Cut to: close-up of her with an ambiguous look of either contentment from having been "cured" or a look of intense "Let's do the nasty. Now." Does she live? Does she die? See this one
if only to try and figure out why so many of the female characters have religious crosses dangling from chains within their sweaty cleavage.
Review of Tempest in the Flesh
