Anthony Newly stars in this musical comedy about the life of Hieronymus Merkin, a sex obsessed writer/singer/director/actor/ and a truly perverse character. It seems like a drug induced dream filled with bizarre sequences, crazy songs, erie cinematography and racy exploitations which seem shocking considering it was made it 1969. The whole picture is shot on an island as it cuts between the actual film and Hieronymus screening the film while in production along with the crew, producers, and the critics. The basic plot is that Hieronymus a fatherless boy meets up with a manager (Milton Berie) who turns him into a superstar. Thousands of women line up in front of his bed waiting to make love to him. He marries a former lover of his and she gives birth to a child defected with a huge hole in its back. The baby soon after dies in hospital and Mrs. Merkin leaves Hieronymus. Hieronymus despite the objections of the writers, critics and everyone else insists on telling about the raciest most shocking part of his life. His immoral affair with the child beauty Mercy Humppe. He remarries to Polly (Joan Crawford) and switches off between Polly and Mercy and finally leaves Mercy.
The film is an absurd X rated romp though a land of sexual excess and unconventional perversion that portray women as only a 1960's film can. Although this film is not for all tastes, exceedingly fine performances, unpredictable twists, and uproarious humor make this film a true cult classic that reminds one of A Clockwork Orange at times. An R rated version also exists.
The film is an absurd X rated romp though a land of sexual excess and unconventional perversion that portray women as only a 1960's film can. Although this film is not for all tastes, exceedingly fine performances, unpredictable twists, and uproarious humor make this film a true cult classic that reminds one of A Clockwork Orange at times. An R rated version also exists.