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Camille 2000

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Camille 2000
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRadley Metzger
Screenplay byMichael de Forrest
Based onLa Dame aux Camélias
1852 novel
by Alexandre Dumas, fils
Produced byRadley Metzger
Starring
CinematographyEnnio Guarnieri
Edited by
  • Humphrey Wood
  • Amedeo Salfa
Music byPiero Piccioni
Production
company
Spear Productions
Distributed byCinerad
Release date
  • 1969 (1969)
Running time
130 minutes
CountryItaly
LanguageEnglish
Budget$500,000 (est.)

Camille 2000 is a 1969 Italian erotic drama film directed by Radley Metzger from a screenplay by Michael DeForrest, based on the 1848 novel and 1852 play La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils. It stars Danièle Gaubert and Nino Castelnuovo with Eleonora Rossi Drago and Massimo Serato.

The story follows Marguerite, a beautiful woman of affairs (a double entrendre on man of affairs) who falls for the young and promising Armand, but sacrifices her love for him for the sake of his future and reputation.

Plot

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Rome, in the late sixties. Marguerite Gautier lives a carefree life filled with parties, encounters, drugs, and casual relationships, all in the luxurious villa of her benefactor, Count De Mauriac. To the elderly count, Marguerite—known as Camille due to her love for camellias—is more than a lover; she's like a daughter, having met her after his real daughter died from an overdose.

Armand Duval arrives in Rome, a young French entrepreneur sent by his father for business. At one of the many social events, he quickly meets Marguerite. While he falls for her instantly, she sees him as just another temporary relationship, amidst her other affairs, which sparks his jealousy. However, Marguerite gradually begins to develop feelings for Armand and decides to spend the summer exclusively with him, secretly leaving for Porto Ercole on De Mauriac's luxurious yacht. During their vacation, Armand's father approaches Marguerite, suspecting her relationship with his son is driven by financial motives, and convinces her to leave him.

Marguerite reluctantly returns to her world of promiscuity and becomes increasingly trapped in drug addiction. She distances herself from Armand, who remains unaware of the conversation between her and his father. Marguerite humiliates him by being caught with another lover. They meet again at a party, where Armand realizes the extent of her addiction. When he learns of her hospitalization in a clinic, he rushes to her side but arrives too late, only to hold her in his arms as she dies.

Cast

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Release

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Camille 2000 opened in New York on 16 July 1969.[1]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 14% based on seven reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10.[2] Roger Ebert was not impressed and gave the film a one-star review.[3] Yet, some critics found strengths in Camille 2000. Film critic Gary Morris noted that the film is "a breathless series of ultra-plush environments that resonate with Italian haute design of the period"[4] Critic Marcus Doidge referred to Camille 2000 as a "cult" favorite and noted the film "offered up way more drama than I expected from it. The story perfectly balances sex with drama and genuinely gives us a couple that are getting drawn closer and closer together, even when we know they would probably be better off apart at times".[5]

Notes

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According to Steve Gallagher of Filmmaker, Radley Metzger's films, including those made during the Golden Age of Porn (1969–1984), are noted for their "lavish design, witty screenplays, and a penchant for the unusual camera angle".[6] Clare Simpson of WhatCulture noted that his films were "highly artistic—and often cerebral ... and often featured gorgeous cinematography".[7] Film and audio works by Metzger have been added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.[8][9][10][11]

References

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  1. ^ "Camille 2000". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  2. ^ Camille 2000 at Rotten Tomatoes
  3. ^ Ebert, Roger (28 October 1969). "Camille 2000 Movie Review & Film Summary (1969)". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 10 January 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  4. ^ Morris, Gary (1998). "The Films of Radley Metzger". ImagesJournal.com. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  5. ^ Doidge, Marcus (11 February 2013). "Camille 2000". DvdActive.com. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  6. ^ Gallagher, Steve (7 August 2014). ""This is Softcore": The History of Radley Metzger". Filmmaker. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  7. ^ Simpson, Claire (October 2, 2013). "Adults Only: 5 Films By Radley Metzger". WhatCulture. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  8. ^ Rist, Ray C. (1974). The Pornography Controversy: Changing Moral Standards in American Life. Transaction Publishers. p. 124. ISBN 9781412838467.
  9. ^ Lehman, Peter (2006). Pornography: Film and Culture. Rutgers University Press. p. 9. ISBN 9780813538716.
  10. ^ "Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – DadaBase Search Results – Radley Metzger". Museum of Modern Art. 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  11. ^ "Obituary Of The Righteous – The Porn Of The Fabulous 60s And 70s Loses One Of Its Pioneers And Masters: Radley Metzger – Photographer Of War, The MOMA Presents A Retrospective: His Erotic Films Made History – Video: 'Score', On The Relationships Of Couples Of The 70s, In An Uncensored Version". DagoSpia.com. 4 March 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
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