THE PRIVATE AFTERNOONS OF PAMELA MANN (1974) 83 minutes
Cast: Barbara Bourbon, Darby Lloyd Rains, Aian Marlow,
Georgina Spelvin, Eric Edwards, Jamie Gillis, Day Jason, David Savage, Sonny Landham,
Levi Richards, Mark Stevens, Lola LaGarce and Kevin Andre.
In the early days of explicit cinema, filmmakers were breaking new ground and expanding
existing boundaries, seeking new territory to explore. In 1974, Radiey Metzger (soft core
genius behind THERESE AND ISABELLE, CARMEN BABY, SCORE, THE LICKERISH
QUARTET etc.) changed his name to Henry Paris and made his first explicit film. It shattered
the previous boundaries and moved adult films into the area of near Hollywood productions.
PAMELA MANN is a ground breaker that can be considered the first big budget porno, and
it demonstrated that in the hands of a great filmmaker, explicit sex could be produced with
the glossy Hollywood feel previously lacking. Also, a dimension of sophisticated comedy
could be added.
Alan Marlow plays Mr. Mann, a wealthy publisher who hires private detectives to spy on
his supposedly wayward wife, played by Barbara Bourbon. Private Eye Eric Edwards spies
on Private Eye Marc Stevens and is treated to one of the all time oral scenes involving
Stevens and Bourbon. When Edwards turns in the evidence, having fallen prey to Bourbon’s
charms himself, the revelation is that the Manns love to play a strange game.
When sleek production, clever dialogue, excellent music and editing are combined with
and equaled by the erotic content of the sex, the result is an all time winner Barbara actually
‘deep throats’ Marc (10 1/2) Stevens, Jamie and Darby are two ‘terrorists’ who abduct and
torment Barbara, and Levi Richards plays the boob with hooker Georgina Spelvin. The
friction created in the lesbian scene between Barbara and Georgina bursts right through
the screen. And the mirrored finale, when the couple reflect on their hobby, is exquisitely
edited sex. Barbara Bourbon has never looked better, and evidence of that can be found
by comparing her as PAMELA with her appearance in A DIRTY WESTERN.
Metzger is famous for his running gags. In this film there are two — a sexual gag involving
David Savage and Day Jason that pokes fun at the entire myth surrounding cum shots.
Also, throughout the film there is an idiot interviewer asking supposedly significant questions
of Pamela, providing ‘socially redeeming value.’ This explanation should serve as a fine
kick in the ass for all of the puritans and repressed, frustrated sexual beings that condemn
adult films.