Camille 2000 (1969) / Drama-Romance

MPAA Rated: X, for sexual content and nudity
Running Time: 115 min. (DVD cut runs 130 min.)

Cast: Daniele Gaubert, Nino Castelnuovo, Eleonora Rossi Drago, Roberto Bisacco
Director: Radley Metzger
Screenplay: Michael DeForrest
Reviww published January 6, 2016

Armand is a handsome bachelor new to Rome and Marguerite is a woman of many affairs who he has his eye on. He tries to court her, but she warns her love may not be more than fleeting, as she has a few secrets which will make it difficult to sutain the relationship.

The film derives it's name and plot from the famed book by Alexander Dumas ("Lady of the Camellias", aka "Camille") on the tragic love affair with a woman doomed with consumption. That alone should tell you where this is headed. With Radley Metzger at the helm, you knew a liberal amount of sex and nudity would be thrown in, and he doesn't disappoint. However, interestingly enough, he handles the love affair so well, the sex scenes are prolonged moments of distraction amid what would otherwise been a fine movie.

Lots of beautiful locations, good-looking actors who are adequate in their roles, and a surprisingly insightful script. The nudity is relatively tasteful, but the sex scenes are a bit too long and too boring since they never show much and when they do it's very unrealistic. It's a shame Metzger concentrated so much on thinking it was the titillation that made people want to see his film that he overlooked that he had some magic going in the romance department which he unfortunately buried under the weight of severe decadence.

Qwipster's rating:

©1999 Vince Leo