Unholy Matrimony

Everybody's got to start someplace department: it's odd to see such talented character actors as Lane Smith and Billy Green Bush debuting on the big screen in a soft porn film, but I guess that's the enduring factoid from UNHOLY MATRIMONY. It's a real film, just not a real good film.

One major drawback is that the main protagonist, a reporter sent undercover by his magazine editor to expose a blackmail ring preying on wife swappers, is played by Alan Dellay. He's the sleaziest looking guy in the cast, perhaps an in-joke but highly detrimental to the story.

A buxom beauty (unidentified as yet by IMDbers, though she looked like Julie Ange, star of Jerry Gross's GIRL ON A CHAIN GANG; further research required) plays Janice, a girl he enlists to pretend to be his wife. Film instantly turns sleazy as she's forced to have dirty pictures taken of herself, as a first step to gain entree with the swinging swappers community they must infiltrate.

This sets in motion a series of vignettes of variable quality and interest. Some suspense is generated, particularly when Janice is almost raped, and when porn favorite Uta Erickson becomes a sadistic cowgirl (!) putting the duo into bondage after slipping them some LSD. One sequence at a swimming pool briefly features the busty blonde who was so terrific starring in Mahon's HOT SKIN, COLD CASH, and also remains unidentified.

Film's finale is very poorly staged, a sad excuse for an action sequence leading to a phony, unconvincing "comeuppance" ending. They had the makings of a real B movie, but unfortunately it degenerated into porn.

Same team produced a similarly well-made softcore picture THE LOVE CULT, with the same writer involved, alternately billed as Russel Fore or Forest Russell. Sharon Kent adds her beauty to both films. Arthur John is credited as director, but this would appear to be the work of prolific Barry Mahon.