Felicity Robinson (Glory Annen) is a teen who studies at a remote Roman Catholic Churchboarding school and who seeks indulgence in the popular erotic novels Story of O and Emmanuelle, and in a lesbian love affair with her friend Jenny (Jody Hanson). Her father arranges her holiday trip to Hong Kong where she will stay with a wealthy couple, Christine (Marilyn Rodgers) and Stephen (Gordon Charles). Christine organises a party to introduce Felicity to a friend of theirs, Andrew (David Bradshaw). After the party at the couple's mansion, Andrew takes Felicity for a ride in his car during which he pulls over and deflowers her. Christine also introduces her to libertine Me Ling (Joni Flynn). Me Ling initiates Felicity to new pleasures. However, Felicity eventually falls in love with Miles (Chris Milne) who saves her from a bunch of Chinese thugs.
Lamond wanted to make a film in the vein of those directed by Just Jaeckin such as Emmanuelle:
The French have always been able to make their films NOT be pornographic, they’d be erotic. They were classy – the most they could ever say was 'softcore'. And the way they did it, they made pretty images that looked like a Singapore Airlines TV commercial, they had nice fashion, good photography and nice music. And that way it dresses it up and makes it all chocolate boxy... I thought okay, the way to do that on a film budget is to go somewhere exotic. Make sure the people are pretty and they don’t have pimples. Don’t be sordid in any way, have pretty music and exotic locations, nice lighting and nice fashion. So even though it was a tiny film, we came up to Hong Kong and we got all the clothes tailor made for them, so that they fitted properly.[4]
Lamond secured investment from Roadshow Pictures, then tried to obtain funding from the government film bodies. They refused, although the AFC offered to loan him $40,000, but Lamond did not want to be beholden to them. He formed a unit trust and sold a hundred units at $1,250 each which people could buy in any number, and the movie was made entirely with private funds.[5]
Glory Annen was a Canadian actress living in London who was cast in the lead role.
The film was shot in 1977. The Internet Movie Database cites the opening scenes as having been shot at Montsalvat, Eltham, while the train station scene was at Healesville. Other scenes were filmed in Hong Kong and in a studio at Nunawading in Melbourne; when a typhoon was approaching Hong Kong Lamond moved the unit to Lord Howe Island instead for a number of days.[4] Lamond says it was shot in the same "Singapore Airlines style" as Emmanuelle, "No. 3 fog filters and so on. It gives the film a nice, respectable look.[5]
In one scene the characters go to a movie where The ABC of Love and Sex: Australia Style is being shown. Lamond describes this as a "pure Roger Corman-style economic necessity."[4]
Box officeedit
Felicity grossed $532,000 at the box office in Australia,[6] perhaps $5,000,000 in 2020 dollars. According to Lamond it also sold widely around the world.[4]
Cancelled sequeledit
Lamond intended to make a sequel, Felicity in the Garden of Pleasures. It was budgeted at $230,000 and the South Australian Film Corporation decided to invest A$100,000. The corporation's director, John Morris, told the board "the film would be funny, commercial and R-rated". However the decision was much criticised and the SAFC withdrew their investment. No sequel was made.[7]
Editsedit
In the UK, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has classified three versions of the film: in 1979, the film was released for cinema with an "X" certificate, precursor of the "18" certificate, after unspecified cuts had been made; in 1991, it was passed uncut for video with an "18" certificate; in 2008, Severin Films released an uncensored Director's cut of the film on DVD. It was passed uncut with an "18" certificate.
In 2004, Obsession Entertainment of North America issued a DVD in the NTSC format. The running time is quoted as 91 minutes. The star, Glory Annen, is not credited on the DVD cover. The UPC is 0-19485-05333-3.
(Date Unknown) Fejui Media Corporation of Taiwan issued a DVD in the NTSC format. The running time is quoted as 90 minutes. The UPC is 4-716354-372439.
felicity, film, felicity, 1979, australian, sexploitation, film, starring, canadian, actress, glory, annen, written, directed, john, lamond, felicitytheatrical, film, posterdirected, byjohn, lamondwritten, bydiane, lamondjohn, lamond, both, asfelicity, robinso. Felicity is a 1979 Australian sexploitation film starring Canadian actress Glory Annen and written and directed by John D Lamond 2 3 FelicityTheatrical film posterDirected byJohn D LamondWritten byDiane LamondJohn D Lamond both asFelicity Robinson Produced byRussell HurleyJohn D LamondStarringGlory AnnenMarilyn RodgersJoni FlynnChristopher MilneJody HansonCinematographyGary WapscottEdited byRussell HurleyMusic byBrian PotterProductioncompanyKrystal Motion Picture ProductionsDistributed byRoadshowUmbrella EntertainmentRelease date5 July 1979Running time90 94 minutesCountryAustraliaLanguageEnglishBudgetAU 170 000 1 Box officeAU 532 000 Australia Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Box office 5 Cancelled sequel 6 Edits 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksPlot editFelicity Robinson Glory Annen is a teen who studies at a remote Roman Catholic Church boarding school and who seeks indulgence in the popular erotic novels Story of O and Emmanuelle and in a lesbian love affair with her friend Jenny Jody Hanson Her father arranges her holiday trip to Hong Kong where she will stay with a wealthy couple Christine Marilyn Rodgers and Stephen Gordon Charles Christine organises a party to introduce Felicity to a friend of theirs Andrew David Bradshaw After the party at the couple s mansion Andrew takes Felicity for a ride in his car during which he pulls over and deflowers her Christine also introduces her to libertine Me Ling Joni Flynn Me Ling initiates Felicity to new pleasures However Felicity eventually falls in love with Miles Chris Milne who saves her from a bunch of Chinese thugs Cast editGlory Annen as Felicity Robinson Chris Milne as Miles Joni Flynn as Me Ling Jody Hanson as Jenny Marilyn Rodgers as Christine Gordon Charles as Stephen John Michael Howson as Adrian Lingerie Salesman David Bradshaw as Andrew Christine Calcutt as Nun John D Lamond as Peeping Tom Gardener Man In CinemaProduction editLamond wanted to make a film in the vein of those directed by Just Jaeckin such as Emmanuelle The French have always been able to make their films NOT be pornographic they d be erotic They were classy the most they could ever say was softcore And the way they did it they made pretty images that looked like a Singapore Airlines TV commercial they had nice fashion good photography and nice music And that way it dresses it up and makes it all chocolate boxy I thought okay the way to do that on a film budget is to go somewhere exotic Make sure the people are pretty and they don t have pimples Don t be sordid in any way have pretty music and exotic locations nice lighting and nice fashion So even though it was a tiny film we came up to Hong Kong and we got all the clothes tailor made for them so that they fitted properly 4 Lamond was also influenced by The World of Suzie Wong 1960 which prompted him to set it in Hong Kong He intended to make it immediately after Australia After Dark but ended up making The ABC of Love and Sex Australia Style first Lamond claims that at one stage George Miller was going to direct but he wanted to take the film in a different direction 4 Lamond secured investment from Roadshow Pictures then tried to obtain funding from the government film bodies They refused although the AFC offered to loan him 40 000 but Lamond did not want to be beholden to them He formed a unit trust and sold a hundred units at 1 250 each which people could buy in any number and the movie was made entirely with private funds 5 Glory Annen was a Canadian actress living in London who was cast in the lead role The film was shot in 1977 The Internet Movie Database cites the opening scenes as having been shot at Montsalvat Eltham while the train station scene was at Healesville Other scenes were filmed in Hong Kong and in a studio at Nunawading in Melbourne when a typhoon was approaching Hong Kong Lamond moved the unit to Lord Howe Island instead for a number of days 4 Lamond says it was shot in the same Singapore Airlines style as Emmanuelle No 3 fog filters and so on It gives the film a nice respectable look 5 In one scene the characters go to a movie where The ABC of Love and Sex Australia Style is being shown Lamond describes this as a pure Roger Corman style economic necessity 4 Box office editFelicity grossed 532 000 at the box office in Australia 6 perhaps 5 000 000 in 2020 dollars According to Lamond it also sold widely around the world 4 Cancelled sequel editLamond intended to make a sequel Felicity in the Garden of Pleasures It was budgeted at 230 000 and the South Australian Film Corporation decided to invest A 100 000 The corporation s director John Morris told the board the film would be funny commercial and R rated However the decision was much criticised and the SAFC withdrew their investment No sequel was made 7 Edits editIn the UK the British Board of Film Classification BBFC has classified three versions of the film in 1979 the film was released for cinema with an X certificate precursor of the 18 certificate after unspecified cuts had been made in 1991 it was passed uncut for video with an 18 certificate in 2008 Severin Films released an uncensored Director s cut of the film on DVD It was passed uncut with an 18 certificate Prior to the Video Recordings Act 1984 the film was available uncertified on VHS video cassette In 2004 Obsession Entertainment of North America issued a DVD in the NTSC format The running time is quoted as 91 minutes The star Glory Annen is not credited on the DVD cover The UPC is 0 19485 05333 3 Date Unknown Fejui Media Corporation of Taiwan issued a DVD in the NTSC format The running time is quoted as 90 minutes The UPC is 4 716354 372439 See also editCinema of AustraliaReferences edit David Stratton The Last New Wave The Australian Film Revival Angus amp Robertson 1980 p309 Donald Guarisco 2008 The New York Times Movies amp TV Dept Baseline amp All Movie Guide Archived from the original on 11 March 2008 Retrieved 31 January 2012 DVD Talk DVD Talk Retrieved 31 January 2012 a b c d e Interview with John Lamond Mondo Stumpo early 2002 accessed 14 October 2012 a b Scott Murray John Lamond Cinema Papers Oct Nov 1978 p97 98 Film Victoria Australian Films at the Australian Box Office PDF Archived from the original PDF on 18 February 2011 Retrieved 10 November 2010 Vincent O Donnell Strewth How Aussie does Australian cinema need to be The Conversation 30 March 2012 accessed 21 February 2015External links editFelicity at IMDb Felicity at Oz Movies Felicity at AllMovie Felicity at the National Film and Sound Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Felicity film amp oldid 1152932084, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
