Private Lessons (1981 film)

Infobox_film
name = Private Lessons


caption = "Private Lessons" theatrical poster
director = Alan Myerson
writer = Dan Greenburg
producer = R. Ben Efraim
starring = Sylvia Kristel
Howard Hesseman
Eric Brown
Ed Begley, Jr.
Pamela Jean Bryant
Meridith Baer
Peter Elbling
cinematography = Jan de Bont
editing = Fred A. Chulack
music = Willie Nile
awards =
distributor = Citadel Films
Jenson Farley Pictures
runtime = 87 min.
language = English
country = USA
budget = $2,800,000 (estimated)
released = August 26, 1981
amg_id = 1:39309
imdb_id = 0082948

"Private Lessons" is the title of an American comedy film released in 1981. The film starred Sylvia Kristel, Howard Hesseman, Eric Brown, and Ed Begley, Jr..

Released in 1981, "Private Lessons" was at the time of release and remains today controversial for its plotline which involves a sexual relationship between a boy in his teens and the 30-something Nicole, that culminates in two statutory rapes (although this isn't the first American film to explore this -- see "Summer of '42"). It was one of Kristel's few major American film appearances (she was best known for her "Emmanuelle" films in Europe). The movie has gone on to achieve cult film status and in early 2006, a 25th anniversary DVD release was issued in North America.

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.

The film was produced by Barry & Enright Productions, a company more known for its game shows on television. The company's primary announcer at the time, Jay Stewart provided narration for the commercials and movie trailers for the film.

Plot summary

The plot of the film is rooted in European bedroom farce, with a teenage fantasy twist during summer vacation. Brown plays Philip, the 15-year-old son of a rich businessman. Kristel is a sexy French housekeeper named Nicole with whom Brown's character becomes infatuated.

When the housekeeper spots Philip peeping on her room, she tells him to close her door. To Philip'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. Philips 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 keep his boxers on. 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 doesn't comphrehend at first). After they flirt in a movie theater the following day, he gives in but backs down when she doesn't react fondly 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 sleep with each other.

At this point, the plot thickens. Unbeknownst to Philip, Nicole and his crooked chauffeur, played by Hesseman, are in fact co-conspirators in a blackmail plot. The plot is for Philip's housekeeper to seduce him into sleeping with her and then fake her own death during their intercourse. His chauffeur then "helps" the panicked kid secretly bury her. One day later her body disappears and a mysterious note orders Philip to steal $10,000 from his father's safe and pay up to keep the secret. Nicole has second thoughts, but the chauffeur reminds her he can expose her to the police as both an illegal immigrant and a child molester. Alas, Nicole truly fell in love with Philip, and so she comes back to tell him the truth. Philip convinces his tennis coach (Begley) to pose as a policeman, who then intimidates the chauffeur with questions of Nicole’s whereabouts. Eventually the chauffeur is caught with the money before he flies out of the country. Nicole and Philip return the money to the safe but don't expose the chauffeur. In turn, he doesn't expose Nicole and keeps his job.

As for Nicole's job, she feels Philip's father is bound to reveal their affair eventually and decides to leave. But not before she completes her interrupted intercourse with Philip. The movie ends as Philip 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.