Io, Emmanuelle

Despite what it erroneously says on IMDb, Emmanuelle Arsan did NOT write the story, nor is the script based on her work. I had to buy an import DVD of this depressing turkey to find that out. I like Erika Blanc, but she did not get to play Emmanuelle as written by Arsan. This is about a depressed young woman sleeping with a variety of characters (male & female) while on a road to self-destruction. The message is actually very anti-sex, and morally condemning... unlike any of Arsan's work. Hope this clarifies, and I advise anyone who disagrees with me to watch the DVD and stare at the credits carefully! I did, and was crestfallen when I realized there was no connection.

This was the first "Emmanuelle" movie to be made, though actually based on a spin-off from the original novel (whose author had even tried to suppress but failed!); I've only watched the initial entry of the popular French series, as well as a few of the later Italian variant "Black Emanuelle" (incidentally, I should be acquiring all of these in the near future – despite my reservations about them!) and, of course, the British spoof CARRY ON EMMANNUELLE (1978). As for the film under review, it's only the second effort by director Canevari that I've checked out – the other was the uniquely trippy Spaghetti Western MATALO! (1970); I've also just got my hands on what is perhaps his most notorious title, namely the Nazisploitation flick THE GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY (1977)…

Well, A MAN FOR EMMANUELLE's nothing like the cool chic of the Just Jaeckin/Sylvia Kristel 'classic' – and much more akin to the style of MATALO! itself i.e. a heady brew of philosophy, cinematic technique and, naturally, softcore sex! As is to be expected, coming from a film made during the "Euro-Cult" heyday, it looks and sounds great (with score and title song provided by Gianni Ferrio) – in essence, one might say that while the later Emmanuelle evoked the bourgeois hedonism of the 1970s, this one carries the radical politics prevalent at the tail-end of the previous decade proudly on its sleeve! As a matter of fact, the heroine (here played by Erika Blanc, who probably was never better) isn't the insatiable society woman abroad incarnated by Sylvia Kristel or even the bland continent-hopping journalist that was Laura "Black Emanuelle" Gemser, but rather a neurotic woman subject to frequent changes of mood (brought on by stomach cramps) – who can go from almost aggressive passion to coldness and even contempt in the blink of an eye!

Apparently, the only man she's fond of is a "Professor", presumably her psychoanalyst, whom she's constantly – and desperately – trying to reach during the course of the film. In the interim, she goes randomly from one sexual encounter to the next: they're either old flames (who are surprised by her sudden re-appearance and boldness – taking off her clothes the minute she's inside an author's flat, asking the effeminate owner of a lingerie business to make love to her at his shop during a particularly busy morning) or else casual acquaintances (like a lecherous married man who gives her a lift in his car, to whom she's quick to give a piece of her mind, and a motorcyclist who saves her during a street riot who, however, emerges to be a psycho with his own gender issues!). Two more important affairs involve a predatory lesbian (whom Emmanuelle ultimately rejects) and a middle-aged colleague from work played by Adolfo Celi (who's so engrossed in politics that, soon enough, he ends up tiring our heroine as well!). Eventually, it transpires that the man of her life has died in a tragic road accident – and the film ends as it began, with Emmanuelle lost in thought while sitting naked in a revolving chair…though not before she's soaked herself with milk to be cleansed of all past relationships! Could it be sheer coincidence that Roman Polanski will later have his own actress wife – appropriately enough called Emmanuelle (Seigner) herself – repeat this very same act in his erotic thriller BITTER MOON (1992)?

All things considered, I was quite surprised by A MAN FOR EMMANUELLE – which I found to be well made and generally compelling, despite its heavy-going nature and occasional tastelessness. To be honest, it's been so long since I watched the 1974 EMMANUELLE (though I guess I should revisit it and even proceed to some of the sequels, most being readily available for DVD rental locally, on the strength of this) that I can't objectively state which of the two is the better film – or approach to the material – in the long run. What's sure, however, is that Canevari's effort has been overlooked for far too long and I'm glad I was now able to set the record straight, as it were!

This first Emanuelle film is only available in Italian, and to be honest my Italian leaves a lot to be desired so I only barely understood it. It's a classier, artier version of the later Emmanuelle films that basically relates a day in the life of a very liberated but moody and sullen young woman as she travels around Rome having sexual trysts with various strange men (including James Bond villain Adolf Celli)and at least one woman. Emanuelle is played by Erica Blanc, an absolutely gorgeous Italian actress famous for her sundry appearances in many Italian gialli and horror movies of the era. Since this was the late 60's her nude scenes were only brief (but very tantalizing) and her fumbling, softcore sex scenes were pretty well fumbled. But this might be a more honest film than the later French Emmanuelle films at least because, though it is generally light-hearted and comical at times, it doesn't really make the claim that sexual liberation is the key to happiness.

Blanc would never return to this role, but she is actually a lot better than Syvia Kristel who later made the character famous. As for Laura "Black Emmanuelle" Gemser, there is really no basis for comparison as those movies were sheer exploitative trash while this one is more an arty, stylized document of this swinging, psychodelic European era (and which of those you like better is largely a matter of personal taste--I dig 'em both). One thing's for sure I'd rather watch this movie ten more times, even if it was dubbed into Pig Latin with Esperanto subtitles, than sit through an episode of "Emmanuelle in Space" or one of those other modern-day Emmanuelle adaptations. Not a great movie, but I'm glad I finally saw it.

To some extent, "Io, Emmanuelle" can be considered a film of historical significance, if only because it marks the first screen appearance of the infamous Emmanuelle character later immortalized by the likes of Sylvia Kristel, Krista Allen and also Laura Gemser in the offshoot, single "M" Emanuelle series. Here, the free-spirited beauty is played by Italian Euro-Goddess, Erika Blanc, best known as the succulent succubus in Jean Brismée's "La Plus Longue Nuit du Diable" (aka "The Devil's Nightmare"). However, apart from its title, this film shares little in common with the erotic exploits of the Kristel/Allen series, nor does it much resemble the all out exploitation efforts starring Laura Gemser (and most often directed by Joe D'Amato). Instead, this is basically an artsy, Euro treatment with very little story or character development and seems mainly an excuse to have Blanc cavort about in various states of dress and undress. Surprising since it was directed by Cesare Canevari, who would later helm the Nazi-exploitation classic, "Gestapo's Last Orgy." Interesting as a curiosity, but that's about it. For Emmanuelle collectors and Erica Blanc fetishists only.

When this film came out in 1969, viewers especially in Italy would have made the beeline connection between its eponymous heroine and the 1959 erotic bestseller by Emmanuelle Arsan (Marayat Rollet-Andriane), especially given the sexy lead actress Erika Blanc. Although absolutely no connection other than the name exists. The original heroine (original = from the book) enjoys and explores sexuality (although she does go too far in that she actually gets raped), in this 1969 movie however we experience a young woman who is dressed up like a Barbie doll, but seems to have serious mental issues in that she often interprets her environment in scenes (fugues) that seem to be straight out of a horror movie. This may have been triggered, but can not have been caused by her being abandoned by her partner. She throws herself "into the arms of several men" only to instantly reprimand them for it like the little social warrior that seems to be hiding under her Chanel costume. Like the English boilerplate for the movie stated: "The QUEER ... The Erotic ... The HIPPIE ... all turned her on!"

This movie delivers a deeply depressing outlook on women and sexuality. Maybe the original character Emmanuelle was a bit shallow, but at least she was entertaining and life-affirming.

Like I said, it's not related in any way, shape or form to the erotic book, but it's also the closest we ever got to a Nouvelle Vague treatment of "Emmanuelle".