In Praise of Older Women (1978) from Johnny Web (Uncle Scoopy)

Now here was a tough assignment for Tom Berenger. See that nudity report below?  He did all the sex scenes listed there except the one with Monique LePage, which was done by a young boy playing Berenger as a 12 year old. Berenger himself played the character at age 16, which was no small achievement, considering that he was approaching 30 when this movie was made. Believe it or not, he was reasonably credible as a schoolboy. He had the gangly body, his face looked young enough, and he faked the voice and mannerisms convincingly.

The story is epic in scope, following a Hungarian's life through the crazy decade or so between 1945 to 1957. It stars in wartime Hungary (which fought on Germany's side), then moves into the territory controlled by the Allies in the aftermath of Axis defeat, then shifts into Communist Hungary, and eventually to Canada in the aftermath of the ill-fated 1956 Hungarian Revolution. (The story was written in Canada, and the film is also Canadian.).

The movie begins with a 12 year old Hungarian boy having his first sexual encounter with a mature prostitute. The story picks up from there four years later, when the same boy (now played by Berenger) has some disappointing experiences with girls his own age, and decides that he can eliminate his sexual incompetence in the same way he originally lost his virginity - by turning to older women for instruction. He not only learns from the experienced women, but discovers jubilant sexuality, warmth, and complexity with them, and they in turn are invigorated by his enthusiasm, innocence, and lusty prowess. Finally, he concludes that he does not want to use sex with older women as a training ground for younger conquests, but as the end itself. Of course by that time, the "older" women are his own age.

The semi-autobiographical novel was a respected work of 20th century literature which was widely praised for its elegant prose style, humor, and candid (some said too candid, and politically incorrect) insights into the thought processes of women. Many critics praised the English language version, and Le Monde awarded all five of its stars to the French version, offering the following comments:

"... For eight years, living from hand to mouth, Vizinczey learned to become a writer in a language of exile. At the end of his apprenticeship, he published a masterpiece, In Praise of Older Women ... At the price of discouraging some readers who are fond of sexual spectacles and amorous gymnastics, it has to be said that the novel, far from being about fantasies and neuroses, seeks, like all great novels, to teach those who read it the truth about life. It is a novel of apprenticeship which would be a good thing to offer to young people of both sexes as soon as they approach the enchanted and agonizing shores of sexuality... "

(I assume that the phrase "enchanted shores of sexuality" doesn't sound as sophomoric in French.)

In addition to its poetic use of language, the book seems to have developed some philosophical and literary threads that kept it worth reading.

I'm just assuming that.

In fact, I haven't read the book, and the movie accomplishes none of that. The film is actually rather clumsy.

• It's just several (often repetitive) episodes with different women, and not much ties the entire film together. It's the 70s equivalent of a softcore Cinemax movie.

• Although the book was praised for its eloquence, the narration of the film was straightforward, prosaic, and even a bit confusing since it was supposed to be the thoughts of Tom Berenger's character, but was not done by Tom Berenger. The lines were delivered by a disembodied voice which sounded nothing like Tom.

• The production values are weak. The lighting is poor, and the sound is often incomprehensible.

• The music in the film is just a disaster. It used the wah-wah mutes of slapstick comedy and the merry tinkling transition music of light comedies and sitcoms. It's just plain goofy. There are plenty of times when the music seems to be totally inappropriate and completely at odds with the onscreen action, and I expected Berenger to look at the camera and mug, ala Corporal Agarn in F Troop.

This film won a bunch of awards from the Canadian Academy, but I found it often tedious and occasionally amateurish. It rarely held my interest, but it is worth watching just for three things:

• Helen Shaver's beauty and explicit nudity.

• The sex scene between Susan Strasberg and Berenger (and Strasberg's performance in general).

• An amusingly quirky and oddly sexy character actress named Marilyn Lightstone.