Adults Only: 5 Films By Radley Metzger

4. Camille 2000 (1969)

Camille 2000 Classic literature - Alexandre Dumas' "The Lady of the Camellias"- is given an erotic makeover by Radley Metzger. The story of Marguerite, a beautiful courtesan who is the toast of society and is well maintained in opulence by a Duke, is transported to 1960s Rome. She meets Armand Duval, the son of a wealthy industrialist, and their topsy turvy relationship is documented in the film. Ultimately Marguerite's feelings for Armand lead to her demise as well as other unfortunate factors. Dumas' work has been translated into many further works of art such as the opera La Traviata, but Camille 2000 is without a doubt the sexiest version and dares to lay bare the sex life of a courtesan. The actress who portrays Marguerite is the dazzlingly beautiful Danièle Gaubert, she starred in quite a few sexy movies in the 1960s before her tragic death at the hands of cancer when she was 44. Gaubert plays her character with such erotic finesse she simply captivates the viewer. The sex is not as graphic as Metzger's later work but it is still pretty strong. The story really shines through and it has considerable emotional impact as well as being erotically arousing. As with many of Metzger's films, it is interesting to see the fashion and style of the time period (Camille 2000 being set in the 1960s). The film has aged well and its depth makes it still very relevant and enjoyable to watch today.
Contributor
Contributor

My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!