Cinema: Philosophy of The Bedroom

EXHIBITION

Directed by JEAN-FRANCOIS DAVY

She is a woman of principle. That is, Claudine Beccarie disdains foul language and absolutely draws the line at performing sex acts with animals or film producers.

She will carry on, either solo or in various combinations, almost any other amorous activity, provided it is being filmed by professionals and the price is right. She refuses, however, to discuss her politics on camera. Too personal.

Exhibition, a French documentary about Claudine's life, loves and heavy thoughts, has certain pretenses at social and psychological significance. The heroine may be observed, shedding tears in closeup, as she tells how she was raped by an uncle when she was only 15. This assault precipitated a descent into prostitution and an unfortunate marriage in which her soldier husband insisted on having a child against his wife's express wishes. "He tied me down to the bed and everything," she reveals. All of this occurred before Claudine's ascent to stardom in a series of quickies produced by France's newly burgeoning porno industry.

One of Claudine's most remarkable skills is a knack for constant searching of the soul even as more accessible parts of her body are being set upon by a battery of lovers. She submits willingly to such film makers' queries from off-camera as "Where are you now, Claudine?" even as she is finishing up a bout of lovemaking. Claudine seems to have a depressing and detumescent effect on men and performs rather more proficiently, at least for the cameras, with members of her own sex: "I think being bisexual gives one balance."

An official of the French Ministry of Culture wrote with the utmost seriousness about "the exceptional human testimony" delivered in the film. Exhibition, in fact, is a formidable success in France and was shown recently during the New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center. Some 15 blocks south of that great concrete culture bunker, down around the Times Square area. Exhibition would be spotted pretty quickly for what it really is—porn that makes excuses for itself.

J.C.