Desire Under the Palms (1968)

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Director:

Joseph W. Sarno

Writer:

Joseph W. Sarno (writer)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

As a sideline, a bored suburban wife writes articles for women's magazines. When a friend shows her an explicit men's magazine, she attempts to write erotic material. However, she finds that a lot more first-hand research is required, and her husband is more interested in checkers.

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Erotica | Lesbian Scene | Female Nudity | Lesbianism

Cast

Charlotte Brody
Orando Childs
Dana Cordier
Rene Howard	...	Doris Perry
Barbara Lance	...	Betty Williams
Lola Perez
Chuck Traynor	...	Walter Williams (as Howard Muniz)

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Rasnel Films

arty bed-hopping

This later-period Sarno feature is a lot more explicit than his earlier, more significant work, and eschews the social commentary that made them so trenchant. Nonetheless, his artistry is on display to a high degree. The film is made quite mesmerizing through the Dreyer-like chiaroscuro photography, the playful jazz score and the dreamlike editing. The performances are enthusiastic and the premise a sly dig at Sarno's own beginnings. The lead actress is quite striking and believable as an enthusiastic innocent. Not a major work, but perhaps his finest contribution to straightforward eroticism. Clever title, too.