Emmanuelle (1974) is an erotic French film about the wife of a diplomat stationed in Bangkok.  Bored, the wife is sexually active, and the other characters also engage in sexual activity.  While no penetration is shown, the film includes masturbation, cunnilingus, fellatio and intercourse.  (And, revoltingly, a rape scene).  Emmanuelle stars Sylvia Kristel, Alain Cuny and Marika Green.  Just Jaeckin directed, and Pierre Bachelet composed the music. Columbia Pictures distributed the movie in the United States, their first X-rated film.   Wildly successful, several sequels followed, some featuring Kristel.

Emmanuelle is an intense, elegant film.  Sylvia Kristel is beautiful and haunting.  Despite the badly dubbed English version I watched, the movie is one of the finest examples of so-called soft core erotic films.

S. Gray

June 2024