rduchmann

Yet another Euro film based on the memoirs of goodtime gal Josephine Mutzenbacher (aside from several softcore, there were also the XXX SENSATIONAL JANINE and PROFESSIONAL JANINE). All credits are pseudonymous in the US video version. Several of the plot incidents are also found in PROFESSIONAL JANINE. Among the familiar set pieces are the party at the tavern, including the orchestra, and the missing watch scene.

Josephine, a somewhat hard-looking redhead in her late 20s (Jane Iwanoff), shacked up with a businessman in the city, gets a visit from her country cousin Veronica, whom she initiates into the trade (though I'd say, watching Veronica in action, that she's been there before). After Jo's b.f. catches them partying, the girls have to make their own way, eventually seducing an *old* guy they meet at a brothel into financing a whorehouse of their own.

Fairly trivial stuff, but the women are offbeat attractive in a Europorn way. They don't look like plasticized, coked-up Hollywood pornettes of the late 70s/early 80s (or today, for that matter!). Dig the hairy pits and legs on hick Veronica, a little plain jane brunette hardly-the-type. And when did you ever see a guy as old as the one Jo, Veronica, and their redhead friend Sissy triple-team getting lucky in a US film? (Ron Jeremy doesn't count.)

Dubbing is so-so. A voice very familiar to American audiences of Euro imports essays the Josephine character. Tech credits are OK for a film shot all indoors, and the camera is focused. Billian's mise-en-scéne is not up to his near-contemporary "Josefine Mutzenbacher -- wie sie wirklich war," aka "Sensational Janine," but it's still a professional-looking picture, and well above average for the genre.

Anyone who watches a lot of porn soon gets tired of seeing the same old faces (&c) over and over. Most of the cast here are far from overexposed, and the porn scenes are watchable. Fans will note the presence of Barbara Moose and her co-star from "Pleasure So Deep" (a curly head blonde who played the maid in the latter film) at the big orgy finale. Lead Iwanoff also had a role in "Pleasure," so it's sort of old home week on the set.

Outstanding European XXX tells the early years of Josephine Mutzenbacher (Janine in US version), Viennese courtesan of c1890. Here she starts off as mischievous virgin and never does quite reach pro ranks, with in medias res ending that sets up the sequel. The story falters a bit here and there, but lead work by Patricia Romberg is completely winning. She seems to be having a good time throughout and is perhaps the most adorable hardcore starlet of all time.

Porn sequences are shorter, and more numerous, than in the average US film, and are well staged by director Hans Billian. Several sequels have been made but all are inferior to the original, not least because Rhomberg did not appear in any of them.

Biggest drawback is that many of the cast are unusually *old* to be working in porno and are not particularly attractive. Janine's mother and stepfather, who both have several XXX scenes, appear to be in their 50s. The priest who hears Janine's confession (there is a touch of anti-clericalism here) looks even older, though it's not clear how much of his own stuntwork he actually does, due to editing. Most of the featured males have the mien of drug-dealing pimps.

Film would have been much more enjoyable had the knockout Romberg been teamed with a cast more on her own physical level, but she does keep that sweet smile shining throughout. Even dubbed, as here, she's a total charmer and is enough reason all by herself to watch this film.