Paul Lisa & Caroline (1976)

Keywords: Female Frontal Nudity, Female Nudity, Hardcore, Ménage À Trois, Murder, Nudity, Party, Pubic Hair, Sex, Swinger

This classic 1976 film follows philandering Frenchmen Paul through his lusty trials and travails. His wife Caroline and his mistress Lisa turn the tables on arrogant Paul through a series of highly erotic, free loving sexual escapades.

From the pretentious early stages of his creative career, PAUL, LISA AND CAROLINE (also known as FORBIDDEN or, inappropriately, CLOSET CASANOVA !) strives to be the type of torturous relationship drama that John Cassavetes was then gaining fame – and, in some circles, notoriety – for. Paul (Roter, a smugly handsome leading man) is a middle-aged director of TV commercials who has a longstanding on-again, off-again relationship with actress Lisa (Diane Miller) when he marries much younger fledgling writer Caroline (Gena Lee) out of the blue. Initially apprehensive of one another, the two women end up falling in love, excluding Paul from their union, with tragic results. That’s the gist of the story but somehow that’s not the way Roter tells it. Events occur with little regard for continuity, so much at times I thought the projectionist (yep, I saw this theatrically, screened at the good old ABC theater in Brussels – Roter’s place of birth – a mere 2 weeks ago !) had the reels all mixed up. What scant reviews have appeared over time concerning the director’s early works however seem to indicate that this seemingly random approach to narrative was in fact an entirely intentional attempt at art-house loftiness.