Private Lessons (1981 film)
Encyclopedia
Private Lessons is the title of an American
comedy film released in 1980. The film starred Sylvia Kristel
, Howard Hesseman
, Eric Brown
, and Ed Begley, Jr.
The screenplay was written by Dan Greenburg
, who wrote the original source novel, Philly. Greenburg appears as the manager of a fleabag motel in the film.
Released in 1981, Private Lessons was highly controversial from the time of its release, for its plot line of a sexual relationship between a boy in his early teens and his 30-something housekeeper. It was one of Kristel's few major American film appearances; she was best known for her Emmanuelle
films in Europe. In early 2006, a 25th anniversary DVD release was issued in North America.
) is the 15-year-old son of a rich businessman who has left town on an extended summer trip, leaving the young man in the passing care of Nicole Mallow (Sylvia Kristel
), a sexy French
housekeeper, and Lester Lewis (Howard Hesseman
), the family's chauffeur.
Philly becomes infatuated with Nicole. When she spots him peeping into her room, she tells him to close her door. To Philly's utter shock, she means for him to close her door from the inside and then watch her undress. However, it is too much for him when a topless Nicole asks him to touch her breasts. When he objects, she steps back and instead takes off her underwear. Philly panics and leaves.
Later on, he is surprised to find her in his father's bathtub. Once again to his amazement, she asks him to join her in. He objects, but she keeps sweet-talking him until he finally gives in. However, he decides to wear boxer shorts. Once in the bathtub, she spoons and kisses him from behind. When she tries to take off his boxers from behind, he conditions it with turning off the lights. But once she reaches for his private area, he again panics and rushes out. She follows him to apologize, kisses him and directly invites him to sleep with her, the sexual element of which he fails to comprehend at first. After they flirt in a movie theater the following day, he gives in but backs down when she reacts without fondness to the notion of marrying him. One day later, she tells him she guesses they can at least date for a while. After they flirt during their first date in a restaurant, they come back home and finally do sleep with each other.
At this point, the plot thickens. We learn that Nicole is an illegal alien (the film does not specify the circumstances), and she has been blackmail
ed by the crooked chauffeur, Lester, to help in a larger blackmail plan against Philly. The plot is for Nicole to seduce Philly into sleeping with her and then fake her own death during their intercourse. Lester then "helps" the panicked Philly to secretly bury Nicole. One day later her body disappears and a mysterious note orders Philly to steal $10,000 from his father's safe and pay up to keep the secret.
Nicole has second thoughts, but Lester reminds her that he can expose her to the police as both an illegal alien and a child molester. Nicole has truly fallen in love with Philly, and so she comes back to tell him the truth. Philly convinces his tennis coach (Ed Begley, Jr.
) to pose as a police detective, who then intimidates Lester with questions about Nicole’s whereabouts. Eventually Lester is caught with the money before he can fly out of the country. Nicole and Philly return the money to the safe, but they decide not to expose Lester's treachery. In turn, he reluctantly decides not to expose Nicole's illegal alien status nor her acts of child molestation, and as a result, he keeps his job.
As for Nicole's job, she feels Philly's father is bound to discover their affair eventually and decides to leave. But before she does, she finally completes her interrupted intercourse with Philly. The movie ends as Philly returns to high school, thanks his teacher for advising him to find girls whose age is more appropriate for him, and successfully asks her out for dinner, to which his chauffeur will drive them. Then, Philly smiled with excitement, and the film freeze framed.
wrote the film's screenplay, which he adapted from his own 1969 novel Philly. Producer R. Ben Efraim would produce a number of additional Private... movies over the next decade, including another cult favorite, 1983's Private School
(which features Sylvia Kristel in a bit role), and two in-name-only sequels to Private Lessons in 1993 and 1994.
During the bedroom striptease, Judy Helden body-doubled for Sylvia Kristel.
The film was sponsored primarily by Jack Barry & Dan Enright Productions
, even though its two chief producers, Jack Barry and Dan Enright
, were better known for their game shows on television, of which Barry was the on-camera host and Enright the primary behind-the-scenes producer. The company's primary announcer at the time, Jay Stewart
, provided the narration for the commercials and the movie trailers for the film.
The film was also the first picture for Jensen Farley Pictures, a movie studio founded by Rayland Jensen (founder of Sunn Classic Pictures
) and his fellow employee, Clair Farley. Sunn and Jensen Farley, both subsidiaries of the Schick
razor company, would be sold to Taft Broadcasting
in 1980, shortly before this film's release.
Director Alan Myerson
and the cinematographer he hired, Jan de Bont
, shot their principal photography for the film in Arizona and New Mexico.
In 1985, the film was made in Italian as Il peccato di Lola, starring Donatella Damiani.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedy film released in 1980. The film starred Sylvia Kristel
Sylvia Kristel
Sylvia Kristel is a Dutch actress, model and singer. Her most famous role is in the French film Emmanuelle.- Early life :...
, Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman is an American actor best known for playing disc jockey Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and schoolteacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class.-Early life:...
, Eric Brown
Eric Brown (actor)
Eric Brown, , is an American film and TV actor of the 1980s.Brown is best known for his role as Phillip Fillmore in the coming of age motion picture Private Lessons and as Vinton "Buzz" Harper, Jr...
, and Ed Begley, Jr.
Ed Begley, Jr.
Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...
The screenplay was written by Dan Greenburg
Dan Greenburg
Dan Greenburg is an American author, screenwriter, humorist, journalist, and playwright.He was born in Chicago, Illinois, got his B.F.A. from the University of Illinois and his M.F.A. from U.C.L.A. His 72 books have been published in 20 languages in 24 countries...
, who wrote the original source novel, Philly. Greenburg appears as the manager of a fleabag motel in the film.
Released in 1981, Private Lessons was highly controversial from the time of its release, for its plot line of a sexual relationship between a boy in his early teens and his 30-something housekeeper. It was one of Kristel's few major American film appearances; she was best known for her Emmanuelle
Emmanuelle
Emmanuelle is the lead character in a series of French softcore erotic movies based on a character created by Emmanuelle Arsan in the novel Emmanuelle...
films in Europe. In early 2006, a 25th anniversary DVD release was issued in North America.
Plot
Philip "Philly" Fillmore (Eric BrownEric Brown (actor)
Eric Brown, , is an American film and TV actor of the 1980s.Brown is best known for his role as Phillip Fillmore in the coming of age motion picture Private Lessons and as Vinton "Buzz" Harper, Jr...
) is the 15-year-old son of a rich businessman who has left town on an extended summer trip, leaving the young man in the passing care of Nicole Mallow (Sylvia Kristel
Sylvia Kristel
Sylvia Kristel is a Dutch actress, model and singer. Her most famous role is in the French film Emmanuelle.- Early life :...
), a sexy French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
housekeeper, and Lester Lewis (Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman is an American actor best known for playing disc jockey Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and schoolteacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class.-Early life:...
), the family's chauffeur.
Philly becomes infatuated with Nicole. When she spots him peeping into her room, she tells him to close her door. To Philly's utter shock, she means for him to close her door from the inside and then watch her undress. However, it is too much for him when a topless Nicole asks him to touch her breasts. When he objects, she steps back and instead takes off her underwear. Philly panics and leaves.
Later on, he is surprised to find her in his father's bathtub. Once again to his amazement, she asks him to join her in. He objects, but she keeps sweet-talking him until he finally gives in. However, he decides to wear boxer shorts. Once in the bathtub, she spoons and kisses him from behind. When she tries to take off his boxers from behind, he conditions it with turning off the lights. But once she reaches for his private area, he again panics and rushes out. She follows him to apologize, kisses him and directly invites him to sleep with her, the sexual element of which he fails to comprehend at first. After they flirt in a movie theater the following day, he gives in but backs down when she reacts without fondness to the notion of marrying him. One day later, she tells him she guesses they can at least date for a while. After they flirt during their first date in a restaurant, they come back home and finally do sleep with each other.
At this point, the plot thickens. We learn that Nicole is an illegal alien (the film does not specify the circumstances), and she has been blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
ed by the crooked chauffeur, Lester, to help in a larger blackmail plan against Philly. The plot is for Nicole to seduce Philly into sleeping with her and then fake her own death during their intercourse. Lester then "helps" the panicked Philly to secretly bury Nicole. One day later her body disappears and a mysterious note orders Philly to steal $10,000 from his father's safe and pay up to keep the secret.
Nicole has second thoughts, but Lester reminds her that he can expose her to the police as both an illegal alien and a child molester. Nicole has truly fallen in love with Philly, and so she comes back to tell him the truth. Philly convinces his tennis coach (Ed Begley, Jr.
Ed Begley, Jr.
Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...
) to pose as a police detective, who then intimidates Lester with questions about Nicole’s whereabouts. Eventually Lester is caught with the money before he can fly out of the country. Nicole and Philly return the money to the safe, but they decide not to expose Lester's treachery. In turn, he reluctantly decides not to expose Nicole's illegal alien status nor her acts of child molestation, and as a result, he keeps his job.
As for Nicole's job, she feels Philly's father is bound to discover their affair eventually and decides to leave. But before she does, she finally completes her interrupted intercourse with Philly. The movie ends as Philly returns to high school, thanks his teacher for advising him to find girls whose age is more appropriate for him, and successfully asks her out for dinner, to which his chauffeur will drive them. Then, Philly smiled with excitement, and the film freeze framed.
Music
Famous artists included:- Air SupplyAir SupplyAir Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s...
: "Lost In LoveLost in LoveLost in Love may refer to:*Lost in Love , 1980**"Lost in Love" , 1980*"Lost in Love" , 1985*Lost in Love , 2000...
" - Eric ClaptonEric ClaptonEric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
: "Next Time You See Her" - John Cougar: "I Need a LoverI Need a Lover"I Need a Lover" is a rock song written and performed by John Mellencamp under the stage name John Cougar. It first appeared on his 1978 album A Biography, which was not released in the United States....
" - Rod StewartRod StewartRoderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
: "Hot LegsHot Legs"Hot Legs" is a single by Rod Stewart. It was written by Gary Grainger and Rod Stewart. Stewart included the song on his 1977 album Foot Loose & Fancy Free. The 1978 single performed moderately well on the US Hot 100 , and very well on the UK pop chart . In the UK, "Hot Legs" and "I Was Only...
" "Tonight's The NightTonight's The Night-Films:* Tonight's the Night , a 1934 British film starring Leslie Fuller* An alternative title for the 1954 film Happy Ever After-Musicals:*To-Night's the Night...
," and "You're In My HeartYou're in My HeartYou're in My Heart may refer to:* "You're in My Heart ", a song by Rod Stewart* You're in My Heart , an EP by Ten, or the title song* "You're in My Heart", a song by LL Cool J from Walking with a Panther...
" - Willie NileWillie NileWillie Nile is an American singer-songwriter. In 1980 Nile released his self-titled debut album which according to one critic remains “one of the most thrilling post-Byrds folk-rock albums of all time”...
: "That's The Reason" - Randy VanWarmerRandy VanWarmerRandy VanWarmer was an American songwriter and guitarist. His biggest success was the pop hit, "Just When I Needed You Most". It reached #8 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1979 after peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
: "Just When I Needed You MostJust When I Needed You Most"Just When I Needed You Most" is the title of a 1979 song by the American singer-songwriter Randy VanWarmer. VanWarmer and former Hot Chocolate member Tony Wilson co-wrote the track, which was produced by Del Newman and appears on the singer's 1979 album, Warmer...
"
Production details
Dan GreenburgDan Greenburg
Dan Greenburg is an American author, screenwriter, humorist, journalist, and playwright.He was born in Chicago, Illinois, got his B.F.A. from the University of Illinois and his M.F.A. from U.C.L.A. His 72 books have been published in 20 languages in 24 countries...
wrote the film's screenplay, which he adapted from his own 1969 novel Philly. Producer R. Ben Efraim would produce a number of additional Private... movies over the next decade, including another cult favorite, 1983's Private School
Private School (film)
Private School is a 1983 teen oriented sex comedy film, directed by Noel Black.-Cast :* Phoebe Cates as Christine Ramsey* Betsy Russell as Jordan Leigh-Jenson* Matthew Modine as Jim Green...
(which features Sylvia Kristel in a bit role), and two in-name-only sequels to Private Lessons in 1993 and 1994.
During the bedroom striptease, Judy Helden body-doubled for Sylvia Kristel.
The film was sponsored primarily by Jack Barry & Dan Enright Productions
Barry & Enright Productions
Barry & Enright Productions , was a United States television production company that was formed in 1947 by Jack Barry and Dan Enright.-History:Jack Barry and Dan Enright first met at radio station WOR in New York, where...
, even though its two chief producers, Jack Barry and Dan Enright
Dan Enright
Daniel "Dan" Enright was one of the most successful game show producers in American television. Enright worked with Jack Barry from the 1940s until Barry's death in 1984. They were partners in creating programs for radio and television...
, were better known for their game shows on television, of which Barry was the on-camera host and Enright the primary behind-the-scenes producer. The company's primary announcer at the time, Jay Stewart
Jay Stewart
Jay Fix , known professionally as Jay Stewart, was an American television and radio announcer known primarily for his work on game shows. One of his longest-lasting roles was as the announcer on the game show Let's Make a Deal, which he announced throughout the 1960s and 1970s...
, provided the narration for the commercials and the movie trailers for the film.
The film was also the first picture for Jensen Farley Pictures, a movie studio founded by Rayland Jensen (founder of Sunn Classic Pictures
Sunn Classic Pictures
Sunn Classic Pictures, also known as Schick Sunn Classic Pictures is an independent U.S.-based film distributor, founded in 1971. The company was notable for family films and documentaries, and was bought by Taft Broadcasting in 1980.-History:...
) and his fellow employee, Clair Farley. Sunn and Jensen Farley, both subsidiaries of the Schick
Schick (razors)
Schick is a brand of safety razors by Wilkinson Sword, a subsidiary of Energizer Holdings. It was founded in 1926 by Jacob Schick as the Magazine Repeating Razor Company. In 1934, Schick introduced its highly successful single blade safety razor system, that stored ten blades in a steel injector...
razor company, would be sold to Taft Broadcasting
Taft Broadcasting
The Taft Broadcasting Company, also known as Taft Television and Radio Company, Incorporated, was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio....
in 1980, shortly before this film's release.
Director Alan Myerson
Alan Myerson
-Career:Myerson began working in theatre in New York City, then directing The Second City in Chicago. He founded The Committee in San Francisco in 1963...
and the cinematographer he hired, Jan de Bont
Jan de Bont
Jan de Bont is a Dutch cinematographer, producer, and film director.-Early life and career:De Bont was born, one of 17 children, to a Roman Catholic family in Eindhoven, Netherlands. His earliest work after studying at the Amsterdam Film Academy was with the Dutch avant garde director Adriaan...
, shot their principal photography for the film in Arizona and New Mexico.
In 1985, the film was made in Italian as Il peccato di Lola, starring Donatella Damiani.