WILD ORCHID

US, 1989, 111 minutes, Colour.
Mickey Rourke, Jacqueline Bissett, Carre Otis, Assumpta Serna, Bruce Greenwood.
Directed by Zalman King.

Wild Orchid was made by the same team which made Nine and a Half Weeks. While Nine and a Half Weeks was an offbeat exploration of obsessive love, Wild Orchid is merely an exercise in prurient exploration of offbeat and kinky relationships. Jacqueline Bissett acts with enormous verve and gives some life to the movie. Mickey Rourke is the enigmatic hero - made up to look like a sallow gypsy and acting in a disconcertingly silent way. Model Carre Otis is the focus of the audience and the camera.

The film is set in Brazil with all its glamorous and wealthy Rio settings. However, the plot is fairly ludicrous, a little more developed than the soft core pornography material. However, the film is an exploitation rather than an exploration.

1.Purpose of the film? Exploration of relationships, sexuality, power? Exploitation of the theme and the leading actress?

2.The Brazilian settings, glamour and wealth, big business, parties? Sensual atmosphere? The touch of decadence? Songs and Latin American music?

3.The title, the focus on Emily?

4.Claudia, her business connections, dominating woman, Emily as her assistant, the relationship with Wheeler? Meetings, business deals? Her exercise of power? The information about Emily’s relationship with Jerome and her using it? Her own sexuality and attracting the hustler from the beach? The portrait of an alleged typical American businesswoman?

5.Emily, her background, prim? Her business work and skill? The encounters with Wheeler and the fascination? His using her, the distance from her, the sensuality? Her discovery of her own sensuality? Wheeler using her, pretending to be a prostitute? The relationship with Jerome and Wheeler watching? Her embarrassment, explaining the situation to Claudia? Her hold over him? Her being used, allowing herself to be used? Her discovery of herself, the final ride with Wheeler on the bike, the final encounter? Her future?

6.Wheeler as an enigmatic character, Claudia's explanation of his business background, his presence in Rio? Attraction towards women? Following Emily, his hold over her, yet keeping his distance? Using her, the voyeurism? The eventual encounter with her, the bike, sensuality? His relationship with Claudia? A mysterious character?

7.The Jerome, the American businessman away, looking for women, sexual encounters? Claudia and her revelation of the affair and her pressure in informing his wife?

8.The background of the Brazilians, the young boy and his being present throughout the film - and the end? The beach hustlers and their being available for the American women?

9.The sensuality of the film, sexuality? Audience voyeurism? Exploration or exploitation?