BARBARA BROADCAST (1977) 87 Minutes.
p/d – Henry Paris. Cast: Annette Haven, C. J. Laing, Susan McBain, Sharon Mitchell,
Wade Nichols, Constance Money, Jamie Gillis, Bobby Astyr, Alan Marlow, Shirley
Peters and Loren Michaels.
This is Radley Metzger’s most elegantly produced film and perhaps the weakest plotted.
For him, this is, since he stands above all other erotic filmmakers. The setting is a posh
sex restaurant that offers customers a most unique menu — including waitresses and
waiters as lunch. Annette plays Barbara, sort of a celebrity hooker author much like Xaviera
Hollander, who is being interviewed by C. J. Laing at the restaurant.
As usual, the level of humor is brilliant, with witty one-liners all over the place. Some
may not like the setting, since It seems that there is divided opinion on the use of food in
sex films. Many people are offended by combining the two, while others can’t get enough
of the TOM JONES type erotic combination of drooling prior to partaking in pleasures of
the flesh. If a salad with instantly manufactured sperm dressing courtesy of your waiter is
going to bother anyone, why would they be watching explicit sex in the first place?
Evidence of superior production can be supplied by Annette Haven, who has never looked
more beautiful in a film. Unfortunately, believe it or not, she never shows her perfect breasts.
There are two styles of sex scenes in this picture. One is the light, breezy humor filled
restaurant moments. The other is the raw lust variety, best evidenced by C. J. Laing drifting
to the kitchen and encountering dishwasher Wade Nichols. She urinates in a bowl, then
performs one of the hottest anal scenes ever filmed. Relentless and powerful raunch, now
mildly edited on tape. As part of Annette’s interview, she tells a flashback story that allows
the usage of a Constance Money and Jamie Gillis outtake from MISTY that is heavy B&D,
complete with pinched nipples. Elegant, funny and hot, all found within one film. Many
people prefer BARBARA to all the other Metzger gems.