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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :- "19 and untouched"--but not for very long!, 5 September 2008 Author: lazarillo
"She's 19. She's never been touched." But, of course, by the time this movie is over she's definitely going to be touched A LOT. This movie about a young girl who sexually yearns for her own widower father may seem pretty sleazy to those uninitiated to 70's Euro-exploitation films. Keep in mind though that if this had been an Italian exploitation film of that era, the girl definitely would have had sex with her father (probably in the first reel). Same if it had been a French "art" film of the time except the character (and probably the actress playing her too) would have been about fourteen. So the sleaziness is all pretty relative. But while this is considerably less sordid than it appears on paper, I don't know that I quite buy it as a sensitive coming-of-age story. It's definitely pretty exploitative. The girl certainly has FANTASY sex with her father at least, and after he rebuffs her in real life she moves on to a lot of other people like her best friend's boyfriend. Nor are many of these encounters terribly realistic or believable--she has a three-way at one point with a lesbian painter and a nude model, for instance. And for the piece (of ass) de resistance, she decides to seduce her father's new wife! This jealous-daughter-seducing-her-stepmother-to-be plot was also used in the later Gloria Guida vehicle "Pecatti di Giuventud"--which makes for at least two more times than something like this has probably ever happened in real life.Like most Joe Sarno movies this visually looks very good at least and the acting is well above average for softcore porn. Sarno always had a very good eye for Scandanavian lovelies like Christina Lindberg ("Swedish Wildcats", "Young Playthings"), Marie Lilljedahl ("Inga", "The Seduction of Inga") and Maria Forse ("Butterflies", "Veil of Blood"). The lead here, Helli Louise, is not quite of the same caliber as those three, but it kinds of works in this movie to have a more average looking girl. She certainly does have the stuff for softcore porn though--like Christina Lindberg she has the combination of a slender, girlish body and very ample breasts that is very rarely found in nature(although pretty common today thanks to surgery). Unlike most of today's plastic surgery disasters though, she was good enough actress to at least convincingly play a virgin (even if she doesn't stay one for very long). This isn't the best Sarno film I've ever seen, but it's certainly worth a gander
3 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :- Great Exploitations, 21 May 2004 Author: babycarrot67 from Columbus, Ohio
"Daddy Darling" is, in my opinion, Joe Sarno's best film, with his 1975 "Misty" running a close second. From the opening scene, featuring lead character Katja's verbal contemplations as she shops in the streets of Denmark, to the beautiful piano-based opening theme, to the emotionally-charged plot that unfolds, Sarno displays a love for his leading lady, and actress Hellie Louise serves her director well with a thoughtful performance. Even when her character becomes a tad obnoxious, Louise manages to convey the vulnerability and uncertainty underneath that keeps the viewer sympathetic toward her character. Gio Petre, from "Ann and Eve" and "I, A Woman, Part 2," is also terrific (as she usually is) in her role as Katja's new stepmother -- she too never loses touch with her character's vulnerability, even in some potentially sticky situations (not to mention the horrible wig with which she is saddled). Sarno has photographed this film in a fairly moody, though not completely dark manner -- even the "happier" scenes seem guarded. There is abundant music on the soundtrack, and lovers of late 60's and 70's Europop will be pleased. "Daddy Darling" seems to be a bigger-budgeted affair than most of Sarno's work. Two edits exist -- one, running 96 minutes, features an insert scene (softcore) featuring a double for actress Louise, and this version contains several other scenes in a different order than the other version (93 minutes),and thus, in my opinion, the 96 minute version is inferior to the 93 minute version.
3 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :- dated but daring, 6 January 2004 Author: goblinhairedguy from Montreal
At first, Sarno's detached, ironic melodramatic style, which so perfectly fit his exposés of early 60s suburbia, may seem to be sappy and anachronistic in the more free-wheeling late 60s milieu of his Swedish period -- the bland pop music and candy colored photography replacing the expressive jazz and stark b&w of his earlier period. Nonetheless, he was still a master of gradually building psychological tensions to explosive (and often very nasty) climaxes, as is the case here. Thankfully, he resorts to his patented driving bongo music and artful chiaroscuro lighting during the two key erotic/dramatic scenes in this one, undercutting the softness of the earlier sequences. Stick with it and you will be impressed.
0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :- A typically fine soft-core winner from the always reliable Joe Sarno, 24 November 2008 Author: Woodyanders (Woodyanders@aol.com) from The Last New Jersey Drive-In on the Left
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
Eager and lascivious 19-year-old Katja (a winningly sweet and sincere performance by luscious Danish blonde dish Helle Louise) lusts after her handsome widower father Eric (well played by Ole Wisborg). After dear old dad rebuffs her bold advances, Katja instead loses her virginity to the studly Lars (hunky Soren Stromberg), has her first lesbian experience courtesy of her art mentor Lena (a memorably lusty Lise Henningsen) and Lena's gorgeous model lover Tanja (the stunningly beautiful Jeanette Swensson), and eventually seduces her attractive and sympathetic new stepmother Svea Karlson (a splendidly sultry portrayal by Gio Petre). Writer/director Joe Sarno delivers one of his customary frank, honest and intelligent psychological cinematic treatments of sex and human desire; the touchy subject of incest in particular is handled in an admirably tasteful and thoughtful manner. Moreover, the steamy sex scenes are genuinely erotic, but never become too raunchy or explicit. At heart this movie is a coming-of-age story about a teenage girl's emotional maturity and sexual awakening; the plot may be a tad familiar, but it's still poignant and compelling just the same thanks to uniformly fine acting from a capable cast (Louise is very impressive in her film debut) and Sarno's sure grasp of the material. Mikael Solomon's sparkling cinematography makes nice use of vibrant color and offers several artful overlapping visuals. Tony Hazzard's groovy, melodic score hits the rocking spot. A solid and moving drama.
2 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :- Surprisingly well-done., 23 May 2006 Author: FINSLAW from United States
I sell rare videos on Ebay and there are a few videos I come across that I feel compelled to watch first to see how they deal with their taboo subjects. One film is the interesting necrophilia epic Love Me Deadly and this film which seems to advertise an incestuous relationship. I was pleased to find a sensitive coming of age picture that was more psychological and less exploitive than I thought it would be. I was compelled up until the picture perfect ending which I wouldn't want to spoil, not that any of you will be able to find it. The video I had sold for $70 because of its extreme scarcity and taboo subject.
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