Devil in the Flesh

I recall this Australian film being shown at the Delhi International Film Festival in January 1987 under its original title "Devil in the Flesh". Subsequently it also had a successful commercial run in India. Globally, though, it suffered from comparisons with Italian director Marco Bellochio's "Diavolo in corpo" (also Devil in the Flesh) which was released internationally around the same time.

The common title owed to the fact that both films were adapted from Raymond Radiguet's 1923 novel "Le Diable au corps" about an affair between a young married woman and a sixteen-year-old boy while the husband is away.

In the commercial face off between the two films competing around the same time, Bellochio came out ahead. With the smoldering Dutch beauty Maruschka Detmers, and a controversial on-screen fellatio performed by Detmers (a mainstream actress) the Italian version gained wide publicity and audience footfall. By contrast, the Australian director Scott Murray despite having the delectable Katia Caballero just could not woo enough of an audience (apart from India perhaps, which is about the only place I think this film is remembered).

For my money the Australian film has much to commend it -- less flashy, more sensitive, and truer to the book. Katia is sensual and alluring as the lonely young married woman faced with adoration and temptation, the sixteen year old boy is charmingly naive and awkward (unlike as in the Italian version), and Murray directs with a steady hand. But the film unfortunately simply did not get the exposure it deserved. A feeble late attempt at resuscitating fortunes by changing the title to "Beyond Innocence" did not work either. Over time, Murray faded away from directing cinema and Katia went off to TV.

I really wonder if the timing of this film had not clashed with the Italian one whether things would have worked out differently... We shall never know, shall we? I have been unsuccessfully trying to find a copy of this film for years -- if someone comes across it please do let me know. I would very much like to see it again.

This is one of those movies I would want to see again. Lot of the moments of the movie that I watched as a teen stays in memory. However this is not available either online or in stores. Would be great if any one knows how to find a copy.

Scenes I remember vividly is the boy taking the cycle on the train with good music accompanying, how he attempts to lie and his naiveté. Katia was of course stunningly beautiful. The last scene was very memorable too.

The director Scott Murray was well known as an editor of a famous Australian magazine 'Cinema Papers". It was released in India as "Devil in the Flesh" and it has an extraordinary run - with packed houses. The distributor for the movie in India of course smiled all the way to the bank. When searching for "Devil in the Flesh" online however, all one gets is the other more famous 1986 movie, which is also a very good movie, but in my memories I rate this one higher. Will be waiting to see if I can get a copy or download anywhere. Appreciate if anyone knows how.