Overview
Gloria is kidnapped and taken to a theater where she is told that she will have “the most exquisite moment of her life.” She shares many sexual and intimate experiences on a stage in front of a small masked audience that grows increasingly aroused as the performance progresses.
Review
One of the first full-length movies produced specifically for an adult audience was “Behind the Green Door” (1972), which was a major factor in the early 1970s rise to prominence and legitimacy of the adult cinema business. It’s important to note, though, that some people may find this film offensive and explicit.
Even though the movie was revolutionary for its time, both the production quality and the way it viewed sexuality may seem archaic to viewers today. It mostly relies on shock value and the novelty of its explicit sequences, without the narrative depth and character development found in more mainstream films.
Story of the Film
Gloria Saunders, played by Marilyn Chambers, is a stunning woman who is kidnapped by two other ladies at the beginning of the movie. The reasons for this deed are yet unknown.
Gloria is taken to a private club where she performs for a mostly silent crowd that first witnesses a string of graphic acts performed on stage. This is a voyeuristic experience due to the audience’s passive observation.
Gloria’s romantic and private moments from her past are woven throughout the story to offer some insight into her personality and perhaps to set her current circumstances in perspective.
Gloria experiences a variety of sexual situations throughout the narrative, from a close encounter with a man floating in a bubble to being cared for by several lovers. Slow motion is one of the visual effects used to try to transform the content into a dreamlike or surreal experience.
Gloria had a deep orgasm in the final scene, which is represented by the symbolic release of a white dove. This may be seen as a release from her inhibitions or even from the situation she finds herself in.
After the climax, Gloria returns to reality and meets up with a man who seems to be a former romantic partner. The film’s unclear conclusion invites viewers to speculate on Gloria’s journey’s nature.
One could consider “Behind the Green Door” to be a product of its era. Its storyline is naive, and it largely relies on its sexual content, even if it was clearly provocative and pushed limits when it was first published. Even so, it’s important historically since it was one of the first movies to be released during the “Golden Age of Porn,” when adult films tried to use more somber storylines and sophisticated filmmaking methods.
Release
1972
Directors
James L. Mitchell, Artie J. Mitchell
Cast
Angela Castle, Barbara Bryan, Barbara Parker, Bernice Mago, Bunny Brody, Candy Johnson, Erin Lee, Jan Harmon, Leticia Torrez, Linda Chapman, Linda Grant, Lisa Grant, Marilyn Chambers, Martha Strawberry, Nancy Wilson, Rabin Drantha, Ariel Porny, Artie J. Mitchell, Barry Vane, Bill Hadley, Dale Meador, George McDonald, James L. Mitchell, Johnnie Keyes, Jon Martin, Kirt Harmon, Mike Jones, Rick Dayton, Ted McKnight, Tom Kloud
