Diary of a Nudist

Ever watch a dull, plotless movie just to see naked women?

Director Doris Wishman is known for pushing genre conventions to the limit, and here she combines wall-to-wall T&A with a phenomenally predictable storyline and a stunningly silly ending. (A few naked men, too, but they're not the focus.) The unrelenting wholesomeness may be shocking if you're familiar with Wishman's later, far seedier work.

I have to agree with the gentleman from England. Seeing this film for any other reason than simple fun would be a mistake! This film is a nudie-cutie. In this day of hardcore, it is hard to imagine that this was the "hardcore" of its day. Beautiful cinematography, beautiful locales and sun-drenched bodies offer a sleepy, idyllic look at an alternate reality. It should be remembered that in those times the idea of the naked form and sin WERE synonymous, therefore, Davee Decker would have been regarded as a lowlife to many for being photographed in the nude. To my mind that makes her a bit of a hero! What makes it more interesting to me is the fact that she looked like the typical young housewife of that era, the lady next door that you would have borrowed a cup of sugar from. A fun little cult film, not to be taken too seriously, I'm really curious to find out if she is still alive and what made her do nudie movies when it was taboo at that time.

"Diary of a Nudist" is an exploitation film that was made at a nudist colony. Several similar movies were made and proclaimed that they were educational in nature, but they really were just excuses to show some lovely naked bodies to audiences. And, it's pretty hot stuff for 1961, though like other nudie films of the era there are no crotch shots.

Arthur assigns one of his reporters, Stacy, to go to a local nudist colony and write a spicy exposee in order to drum up readership and get the place closed. But, unexpectedly, Stacy finds she likes the folks there and the nudist lifestyle and joins the place. So, Arthur arrives in order to write his hit piece himself. Will he, too, succumb to the naturalist lifestyle?

There really is little in the way of plot....just lots of naked folks. But compared to many other nudie flicks of the era, this one has a bit better production values and lovely bodies (many were, conversely, not so lovely in other films). A strange but watchable curio.

Is this a great movie? No. There is no real plot and no acting to speak of. But it's a great reminder of how movies were pre-Deep Throat.

Obscenity laws forced nudie filmmakers to make it appear that these movies promoted public awareness.

Hence, this is done as a pseudo documentary. Not unlike some of Russ Meyer's very early flicks. (Mondo Topless, etc.)

There's plenty of T&A. Full frontal female nudes abound.

The guy's are naked too, only you don't see anything.

What is striking about this movie is how hot the girls are. It's a fun movie to watch, but don't expect anything close to porn. It's really just hot girls lounging around in different places at the nudist colony.

It's so innocent it's great!

I think that the comments from other reviewers about this nudie-cutie are a little too harsh.This Film is fluffy & contrite yes;but exudes an American ideal of paradise at the time of the Kennedy pseudo-crusade of 'Camelot'.Meaning that America was then riding the crest of a wave of optimism.This Film seems to capture some strange,incongruous 'feel-good' factor that epitomises this.It has the Pine Trees of Florida,the blue of the everglades & the flesh tones of the Sunny Palms Lodge.The music soundtrack is atmospheric mood-jazz & 12-bar blues.Tiki-stone gods & white Chevrolets all add to the genre. We had a similar Film in Britain at the same time: 1961 called 'Naked As Nature Intended' but Cornwall isn't as HOT as Florida (in both senses of the word). I would recommend people not be put off seeing this Doris Wishman gem.It is well worth the current price of a DVD. Having watched this film recently;it has lost none of it's 'feel-good' impression on me.The 'dubbed' dialogue:- I assume is still the original actors?.This gives the film extra charm because the background noises i.e. birdsong,typing clatter are all on the same track.