Young Lady Chatterley

Seventies soft-core was so much better than that which comes out now. YLC had good photography, good locations, mostly acceptable acting, and decent direction. Interesting was the casting, such as the Flashback Gardener, who was not exactly a buff stud. Also, Harlee McBride was cute, rather than beautiful, something that was actually rather refreshing. An actress playing this role now would have sported about ten pounds of silicone where McBride was proud to show her natural self. Her character seemed excessively slutty to me, but OK, she's a Chatterley, and OK it was the seventies, and OK that is sort of the whole point of the show. Most of the sex scenes were fairly hot. some minor characters and plot points were a bit ridiculous, but that goes with the genre. Grade: B

I have enjoyed a few of the European soft-core movies, like _Boarding School_ with Natasha Kinski. They manage to be sexy without the whole "we have to make sex dirty, vulgar, and immature" thing that all too many American soft-core movies have. _Porky's_, anybody? Well, this movie is American, and it manages to have that same vibe I've enjoyed from our friends across the Pond. The story actually exists, and while it isn't one of those multi-faceted stretch-the-brain plot lines, it is a plot line. The sex is more playful than vulgar, and sometimes it's even sweet. Yeah, I said sweet.

I gave it eight stars instead of seven, because another reviewer took a star away for the bathtub scene between Cynthia and Jeanette. I happen to LIKE that scene, so I put a star back for it. I love the way Jeanette sees right through Cynthia's attempt to be a snob and resolves the problem through pleasure. That Jeanette just radiates sexual heat.

This first entry into the Chatterly "franchise" (??) is entertaining enough. Mildly amusing in spots, with attractive people wandering around and having lots of soft-porn sex. It seems curiously old-fashioned compared to much late-night cable fare, but it's just light-hearted enough to be enjoyable.

I went out and bought this movie on DVD and was very very pleased to my senses to see that this copy is the original, uncut, unedited, copy that used to come on Cinemax and Showtime Late Night. It contains 2 movie trailers, a scrapbook of photos from the movie, and a Biography on Harlee McBride. The print still looks fresh but it still needs some more work for future releases. There a few scratches in the film that could use a digital erasing and the sound could use a Dolby Digital 5.1 upgrade. But untill then go out and buy this copy because it is still hot and sexy after 24 years.

It was such a pleasant break from the heavy and siliconised soft porn that you get to see on the cable these days. It has the right blend of a decent storyline, ok acting and right amount of nudity. What I liked best about the film was Lady Chatterly, you could relate her to a real life character. Her innocence in the beginning and then her transformation into the hot and over-sexed Lady looks so real. The sex scenes are beautiful and not pretentious like the porn films these days, no excessive moaning and groaning. The buildup in the story to the orgy scene in the climax is very good. I recommend this movie to everybody who's sick of the meaningless and tasteless platter of softcore films availabe these days. Fall in love with Lady Chatterly!