IN LOVE (1983) 100 Minutes.
p/d – Chuck Vincent. Cast: Kelly Nichols, Jerry Butler, Tish Ambrose, Joanna Storm,
Jack Wrangler, Samantha Fox, Sue Nero, Veronica Hart, R. Bolla, Michael Knight,
Michael Bruce, Dan Stephens, Rachel Orion, Henri Pachard, Bob Sumner, Bud Greene,
Scott Mansfield, Rick Marx, Collette Conner, Montana Station, Kurt Mann, Adam De
Haven, Margaret Smith, Susan Sinclair and Beth Broderick.
One of the significant and landmark films of the ’80s, made in the grand sweeping
Hollywood mold by Chuck Vincent. The closest adult films have come conceptually to a
GONE WITH THE WIND type film. It’s one of those adult films you’re supposed to see
because “they” all say so. Actually it is not that bad at all and is a much better sex film that
the highly acclaimed ROOMMATES.
For readers who think you could make a living writing X-rated scripts — I don’t mean to
be blunt, but wake up from that dream. This is a closed industry and if you send in an idea
or a treatment, most people will rip it off and give you nothing for the effort. If you have
copyright protection, right, let me know when you collect? Henri Pachard simply provided
the idea for IN LOVE and was paid one of the ten highest writing fees I’ve ever been aware
of. Standard video scrips are worth $250 to $500, feature scripts range from $750 to $1500
with rare examples running $2000 or more. Producers are not really looking for scripts from
strangers because each producer has a few friends he regularly contacts.
Back to the sweeping saga that chronicles a 1962 chance meeting between Jill Travis
(Kelly Nichols) and Andy (Jerry Butler) in a Florida bar Following a passionate weekend,
he goes back to New York and she heads for California. His marriage to Veronica Hart and
his business ventures keep him unfulfilled. Kelly spaces out with hippies like Kip (Michael
Knight) in the San Francisco commune scene. Twenty years go by before they meet again,
although cute close encounters occur and they think of one another often.
One of the problems with an epic attempt is that you open yourself to epic wisecracks.
As Jim Dawson chirped at the screening, “Hey Kelly’s aged 20 years but she still has the
same bruises.” If it was up to me, I would have forgotten the extraneous commune business
and would have freeze frame ended at the airport with backs turned. The film deserves to
be seen, however, to see whether you are easily impressed by gloss or if sex is your prime
concern.