Something of a test case as to what you consider most important in adult movies, hot sex or a mainstream-resembling production, the late Chuck Vincent's IN LOVE still stands as one of the finest so-called "crossover films" of the '80s, a time of great change in the porno field as theaters were closing their doors as the VCR made its irreversible entrance into most households. Perhaps in a reflection of cinemas trying to compete with television during the '50s, the always ambitious Vincent responded by making a movie bigger and more lavish than the genre had ever seen, a sweeping romantic saga spanning two decades in the lives of its star-crossed lovers. Like with the previous year's critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning ROOMMATES, the idea was to release the material in both R and XXX versions, thereby being playable in a much wider arena than the average adult feature so as to recoup its considerable investments. Very much unlike ROOMMATES however, IN LOVE went on to lose money on its initial run though its popularity has been growing among the couples crowd as is proved by frequent Playboy Channel airings and the high prices fetched by its increasingly rare VHS incarnation.
Budding businessman Andy (Jerry Butler) and flighty Florida gal Jill (Kelly Nichols) meet and fall in love one fateful weekend in 1962 yet are forced to part ways for the next twenty years. He heads back to his New York marketing job, marries the boss's daughter (Veronica Hart) but screws up by sleeping around with wealthy customer Samantha Fox. She moves to California, joins a cult led by guru Michael Bruce, picking grapes and dropping acid, landing her in jail only to come out with enough material to make it as a bestselling author. They never seem to get over one another and several near meetings occur over time.
Sex most definitely takes a back seat to the drama and period recreation here, so this ain't the kind of flick you'll wanna spank your monkey to. If that's the kind of porn you're going to purvey, you'd better make sure the plot, production and acting are up to snuff. Fortunately, Vincent assembled some of the finest people the industry had to offer on both sides of the camera, assuring the type of adult film that is both adult and still very much a film as well. Nichols and Butler acquit themselves well in the lead roles, never letting the latter's alleged claims of absent chemistry (in his once scandalous autobiography "Raw Talent") rise to the surface.
The huge cast list reads like a virtual who's who of then adult alumni. Special mention must be made of the too frequently undervalued Sue Nero as a sad-eyed hooker and a youthful Rachel Ashley and Dan Stephens (from Roberta Findlay's PRIVATE SCHOOL GIRLS) as an opportunistic couple putting on a show for lonely Andy at his lowest ebb. Jill's best friend who takes care of her when she's just out of prison is indeed mainstream and TV actress Beth Broderick, who would temporarily change her name to "Norris O'Neal" shortly after and took several more (non-sex, so don't get your knickers in a twist) roles in Vincent projects including the nominal lead in his uneven BORDELLO.
Vincent's close companion and regular cinematographer Larry Revene makes the whole show look as glossy as anything cable has managed to cough up since. Hell, there's even a slushy theme song to accompany the exhaustive credit sequences, making it abundantly clear that Chuck was doing his darnedest to give dirty movies a good name. Yet I guess I'm not the only one to feel that, no matter how noble the attempt, he was ultimately fighting a losing battle as there's not much call for porno that fails to make your pee-pee stand up to attention. Pretty basic as opinions go, I know, but it's mine so deal with it !
