The Awakening of Gabriella

What I guess passes for a romance in the world of 90's softcore movies - a roaring trade back thirty years or so now - "The Awakening of Gabriella" actually has a pay-off, waiting for the two main characters to give in to desire at the end of the movie rather than almost immediately.

Susan Featherly in the title role is beautiful and enchanting. All her scenes were fantastic, but her chemistry with Mark Ritter's Stephen was impressive.

No award winner, obviously, but as far as this genre goes, "The Awakening of Gabriella" is good.

I have seen this movie on a small local Tv based in Verona, Italy. The movie started at around quarter past midnight and was over at two am. I had to go to work the next day, but I kept on watching. There's much sex in this movie, quite softly displayed though, and I liked the naivete of the characters who think any moment is good to have sex. The plot is not that interesting, the fact that Gabrielle meets a refined man who teaches her good manners is quite ridiculous, but still the beautiful women being displayed in the movie makes it worth watching, even in the middle of the night. In particular, actress Jeannie Millar -who plays a secondary character- is amazing. I mistook her for Tia Carrere, in fact she's Jeannie, a gorgeous woman that we see naked a couple of times during the movie. The scene when she gets out of a swimming pool entirely naked is memorable. I think this movie has not a particular reason to be praised, possibly excepting its struggle to fix in our memory through the usage of often unjustified, naive nudity.

This made-for-cable soft-core piece is an excuse to show off some attractive women. If you didn't get enough of Jeannie Millar in the diner scene in _Playboy's Freshman Class_ ('98) you can see more of her here. The simulated sex is pretty fake, and there isn't much of a story. 3/10 for the movie and 10/10 for Jeannie. The rest of the cast is pretty nice, too.

Far too often, movies like this are poorly acted, mean-spirited and just dull. I was surprised how much I was both turned- on and actually INTERESTED. These actors seemed to actually enjoy making this flick. ( Even the women ) There's a whimsical, lightness of spirit in "Awakening" that is SO rare and refreshing. I actually LIKED these people. Personally, I found the movie quite erotic. This is subjective of course. Obviously the plot is pure "Red Shoe" and ridiculous, but isn't the point?

I rented this movie based on the review on imdb, but I got BURNED Here's my synopsis

1) great looking women

2) good production quality

3) acting was OK; script was what you expect

4) all the heat was cut out! The worst tease imaginable

So forget it and move on