For Members Only

THE NUDIST STORY is your garden-variety nudie flick, with a threadbare plot of sorts to keep the momentum going and more than half the running time devoted to cinema verite-style footage of men and women going about their business at a nudist camp. It was made by the 'British Sunbathing Association' and feels at times like a propaganda flick; you can guess the kind of viewers this type of film attracted.

Lead actress Shelly Martin puts in a surprisingly good performance in the leading role as a prim and proper young woman who treats the idea of nudist camps with the usual prejudice. When she inherits one and begins to learn more about it, her eyes are opened to a very different world. A love triangle sub-plot of sorts serves to drag out the short running time a little further, while topless nudity from woman after woman - not all of them young and nubile either - is the order of the day. It's nothing more than a forgettable fluff piece in retrospect.

This film is being screened this week by Talking Pictures, my favourite British TV channel because of its old black-and-white films, though "The Nudist Story" is in rich colour.

It all seems very harmless nowadays,with a number of topless women and glimpses of pubic hair on both sexes. But when it was first released back in 1960 I was 15 years old and was curious about what women looked like and around that time I did watch another nudist film. As I remember it, pin-up photos in girlie magazines and the nudist magazine "Health and Efficiency" had photos of both sexes with the groin areas airbrushed out, so I was a little surprised to see the pubic hair, though in most scenes the actors carefully employed a towel so as not to show very much.

I watched the first part of this film, with its predictable plot, endured the synchronised swimming and then fast-forwarded through the camp concert and the rest of the film. Enough said.

Shelly Martin, the actress in the lead role, she dealt with Miscellaneous Crew for "Deep Throat", the famous porn film from 1972. Here, 12 years before, she found a pretext to show us her tits and her ass. That's all!

I saw a movie with the same title,in color.I loved the story and the movie.I have been looking for a copy of it for years with no luck.It was about a girl who somehow had the authority to confiscate a nudist camp because somehow she was in control of its assets.The participants wanted to show her around,and convince her of the wholeness of the nudist lifstyle.She reluctantly agreed to meet the nudists.She became somewhat attracted by a man who ran the camp.She was showed the camp by him.Later,she removed her clothes and participated in the lifestyle.The camp was saved.Another actress liked the same guy,so there was a little catfighting going on.This lady was introduced to another nudist couple,who were friends with the man who ran the camp.So they helped convince her of the wholeness of the lifestyle,also.I remember her eating an apple,sitting at a picnic table with this man.It was a cute scene.Also,there was some kind of a party for "the old lady",who was the actual owner.Can you help me locate this film?

I only found out about this movie recently, and managed to download for viewing.

The premise was predictable, having being used in other movies before however, the idea of a nudist camp definitely was different.

The story followed the expected line, and ended with the expected conclusion but, on it's travels, it was rather enjoyable, and very unexpected. In places, it was quiet funny.

The only thing that slightly spoiled was, the late introduction of naturism etiquette. I've never been to a nudist camp yet, I am aware that members are obliged to carry a towel at all times.

The two reasons are very simple. For new male members, it is to cover up expected unwanted displays until the mind and body adjusts, and for all members to place on seats or other areas where they would sit, for hygiene reasons.

I was 2 years old when this was made so, it's possible the towel etiquette came out sometime after, I was much older when I read about it.

A quirky movie that is not quiet as smutty as some might think, and the granddaughter and aunt characters would espouse this, as the movie progresses.

A rather enjoyable view, and I did manage to see the uncut version.