Can you believe that this week’s classic was done almost fifty years ago? Wow, time does fly! The 70’s were a defining decade in many ways. If you were around then, what do you remember from that year?
As we always do, we begin with the cost of living back then. The U.S. average yearly income was $13,000. The average cost of new 3 bedroom home was $32,500 and if you rented the average for an apartment was $175 a month. The cost of a gallon of gas was at 40 cents and brand new cars ranged from $2,900 for an AMC Javelin or about $3,900 for a Ford Galaxy. As for food, a dozen eggs went for 45 cents, Morton’s TV Dinners were 39 cents, pork roast was just 59 cents a pound. As for some items, how about 8-track stereo tape player for $50, a Crock Pot cooker $18. And one of the fashions “in” things for men were Paisley slacks for $23. Here were some of the news headlines in 1973……The Alaska Oil Pipeline bill is passed to allow construction of a pipeline to access oil from the North Slope of Alaska…….The Supreme Court rules on Roe v. Wade and makes abortion a US constitutional right…….Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after dealing with charges of tax evasion and receiving bribes……..The Sears Tower is completed. With 108 floors and being a 1,729 foot tall structure it would be the tallest building in the world at the time………The famed New York Yankees baseball team is sold by CBS to a group headed by ship builder George Steinbrenner……….US Troops are withdrawn from Vietnam and U.S. involvement in Vietnam as the war ends with the signing of the peace treaty………The Watergate Hearings begin in the U.S. Senate and President Richard Nixon tells the nation, “I am not a crook.”……The Bahamas gain independence from Great Britain.
In 1973 some of the big hit films from Hollywood included The Exorcist, Deliverance, Live and Let Die, Jesus Christ Superstar, American Graffiti and The Sting. In the world of pop music some of the big hit makers were Stevie Wonder, Elton John, ABBA, Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney & Wings. When it came to the hit TV shows they included The Odd Couple, The Partridge Family, Columbo, McMillan and Wife, M*A*S*H and The Bob Newhart Show. Among the celebrity deaths were former President Lyndon B. Johnson, painter Pablo Picasso, singer Bobby Darin, actor Bruce Lee, actor Edward G. Robinson. playwright Noel Coward, actress Betty Grable and singer Jim Croce.
Porn was still in the early stages of what would become known as the golden age. Just about everything was filmed in the New York area. Some non adult theaters began showing porn on a limited basis to packed houses. Many New York TV and Broadway technicians were moonlighting on adult films for extra income. One of the groundbreaking films of 1973 would become an all time classic as we take a look back at, “The Devil in Miss Jones”
“The Devil in Miss Jones” – Director – Gerard Diamiano – Cast – Georgina Spelvin, Judith Hamilton (Claire Lumiere), Sue Flaken, Harry Reems, John Clemens, Marc Stevens, Levi Richards, Gerard Damiano (Albert Gork)
This was a groundbreaking adult film that would set the tone for everything that followed. It was a film that had a mainstream feel with a very good story line, terrific plot and a cast that could really act, deliver lines in believable fashion and make their characters very real. Ms. Spelvin had performed on Broadway as a singer, dancer and actress before porn. She even took over the lead role in “Pajama Game” from Shirley McLaine when she left for Hollywood and a film career. Mr. Reems studied with the New York Theater Ensemble and National Shakespeare Company and had done some off Broadway productions prior to getting into the world of porn. This would also be the benchmark for director Damiano as he would always employ actors who could act and not just have sex and perform in well written, story line and plot films, which became his trademark.
This film is one of the greatest porn classics of all time and in some ways was ahead of its time in some of the scenes and dialogue that take place in the film. The story centers around Justine (Georgina Spelvin) who is a lonely, virginal spinster who has never had a relationship, sexual or otherwise. She has led a very simple, pure life but now is at her wit’s end about the miserable life she has. So while Justin is in the tub taking a bath she also decides to take her own life by slitting her wrists. She feels that she will be better off in Heaven. However, because she committed the sin of suicide she is not allowed to enter Heaven.
Abaca (John Clemens) is the one who makes the decisions on who goes to Heaven or Hell. She pleads with him about wanting to feel the lustful desires she never did. Abaca decides to give her one more chance to redeem herself and sends her back to earth so she can experience all of the lust and sex she missed out on. Once she is back she meets The Teacher (Harry Reems) who wastes no time showing her what she must do, what she has missed and it begins with him taking care of her in every way, including some anal (which was rare back then).
Justine is just getting started with her sexual cravings and lust filled life back on earth as there are several other scenes that The Teacher gets her to live out in her need to be a total slut. One of them is a three way that takes place with Marc Stevens and Levi Richard. At one point as they double penetrate her (also a rarity then) she asked the men if they can feel themselves rubbing against each other inside her, do they enjoy it and how does it feel? That might not work today. Still it is an engrossing scene that allows for Justine to get ravaged and enjoy another thing she had missed. There is much more that takes place sexually and non sexually before Justine’s time is up and she can then go to either Heaven or Hell. Ms. Spelvin’s performance throughout is simply brilliant. Where does she end up and how does this end? I will leave that for you to discover in this all time classic. I will tell you that the ending is one you do not want to miss.
Here it is forty nine years later and this film still holds a deep fascination for porn fans and rightly so. The cast is superlative in every way, the camera work is exquisite, the writing, music, settings all make this film the classic it became. If there is one film from the golden age to have, Gerard Damiano’s “The Devil in Miss Jones” is it. This film spawned a lot of sequels in the years after, but this, the original, now on DVD is the ONLY one truly worth your time.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN
