Goodbye Emmanuelle

Welcome to Fantasy Island! The 3rd part of the Emmanuelle stories with Sylvia Kristel plays on the Seychelles Islands, and it has less to do with the real world than any other part of the series. True, everybody has a job (not at an insurance or bank, but typically something like movie director, novelist, doctor etc.) but you never actually see someone working. Nobody has any worries about money, it seems to grow on trees - for everybody with a white skin, that is... Well, Emmanuelle makes the best of her dubious endless holidays in the third world and chases Gregory for a love affair. Her husband becomes jealous and hides Gregory's messages to her. The whole movie has an air of luxurious boredom somehow, but it's a nice way to escape from your daily troubles when you watch this (and watch it in widescreen to let the beauty unfold). I voted 7/8/6/4/6/7 for the six cinema films of the series.

This movie is probably the most unpopular of 1970's French "Emmanuelle" series because it is definitely the least erotic. The sex scenes are all pretty brief and tame (especially compared to its immediate predecessor "Emmanuelle 2"). After actually looking attractive in the first sequel, Sylvia Kristel is back to her tomboy, uber-European look. The supporting female cast meanwhile doesn't begin to compare to the likes of Laura Gemser and Catherine Rivet (the voluptuous Charlotte Alexandra from "Immoral Tales" is featured but is pretty much wasted in a few throwaway scenes). Frankly, the sexiest thing about this movie is actress/singer Jane Birkin's voice in the catchy theme song (dueting with husband Serg Gainsbourg), but she is not actually in the movie.

On the other hand, this is the only "Emmanuelle" movie ever to approach what some might call reality. In this movie the Emmanuelle character actually tires of her boorish, jaded husband and all the menage a trois and swinging affairs with other men that he pushes her into, more for his pleasure than hers. She is taken aback when she sees a young black girl, who they earlier had a threesome with, after she has been beaten by her clueless but jealous husband, and she finds her own husband's latest would-be blonde conquest vapid and unappealing. She begins an affair with a young film director and actually falls in love. Jealously then rears its ugly head, as her husband finds out and tries to sabotage the relationship. I won't give away the ending, but you could probably guess it from the title.

It's rare (and some would say foolhardy)to make a sex film that realistically deals with real-life, and potentially depressing, issues like this. In a way this film kind of marked the end of the "free love" era of the 60's and 70's. That is not to say that this is a good or serious film compared to say "Last Tango in Paris", but for this series. . .well, it's worth seeing if you don't mind trading some of sex for a little bit of reality.

Emmanuelle (Sylvia Kristel) and her husband (Umberto Orsini) now live in the Seychelles and continue with their polyamorous relationships. However, when a young director (Jean-Pierre Bouvier) has an affair with Emmanuelle, her husband at last displays jealousy.

The third Emmanuelle film offers more of the same, with a slight twist from the previous films in that their sexual liaisons show more relationship conflict and in that sense perhaps demonstrates a bit more normal human behaviour. Although there is still plenty of nudity, it feels less erotic in tone than the previous two films with a little more psychology behind it. Kristel meanwhile, seems bored with the role by now.

After the titillatingly groovy sexy title song "Emmanuelle, Emmanuelle, Emmanuelle goodbye" sung by a husky-voiced Jane Birkin, along with Serge Gainsbourg it simply stays in your head long after the credits have rolled. Oh it's a hard one to shake off. The third feature of the official French "Emmanuelle" series is a step-down from the previous two entries starring Sylvia Kristel as Emmanuelle, mainly on its concentration for the story dramatics than the sexual context. That's not a bad thing, because is a perfectly realized story. Much more grounded, but quite reflective and still adventurous in more ways than one. The erotica is tastefully done, as the sex scenes are watered-down and briskly concluded, but it still has Emmanuelle with her swinging husband openly experimenting with their sexual desires. However how this one changes, is now Emmanuelle begins to question/or have second thoughts about this free-spirited lifestyle her husband encouraged when the arrival of a film director gains her interest. What starts off as a curiosity with the stranger becomes a lot more, where Emmanuelle and her husband rock-solid relationship of keeping no secrets begins to show cracks --- and jealously rears its ugly head.

Director Francois Letterier beautifully scenic direction of a pristine Seychelle is elegantly captured and presents a strikingly lush local flavour. The exotic music score is melodic, fitting the mellow tone. The performances are perfectly etched as the enticingly stunning Sylvia Kristel (a true goddess) shows not only she has a seductress pull, but can carry a film with a strong liberated performance. Umberto Orsini and Jean-Pierre Bouvier are solid too.

Sylvia Krystels last hurrah as Emmanuelle? Well not so fast. Almost like in horror movies, the character of Emmanuelle is not going anywhere ... well as in away. Because she is going places (even space in the 90s and 00s), but that is not what we are talking about here.

But even Sylvia herself. While it could have been a nice goodbye (even if not a perfect one, concerning how the movie is, flaws and all) ... but she came back, even if it only was a small role in part 4. And apparently she also was in Part 7 (or 6? Not watched either, but I know she came back even if only was a cameo, cannot confirm that btw).

That being said, the first two movies became infamous because of the love scenes (let's call them that). I think the one thing that may stick into your mind is the scene on the beach ... that can be called sensual. Overall this tries to concentrate on relationships ... if the script was better, that might have actually helped. But as it is, this is neither as erotic (still a lot of nudity) nor as shocking as the movies that preceeded it.