This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Emmanuelle (Sylvia Kristel) travels from Paris to Bangkok to be with her French diplomat husband Jean. The older Jean is her sex mentor and wants her to have other men. There are several diplomat wives including Ariane and the younger Marie-Ange. Both get closer sexually to Emmanuelle with Jean's approval. Marie-Ange introduces her to Mario but she falls for female archaeologist B.This is one third sexploitation porn, one third Euro art-house wannabe, and one third exotic travelogue. It's notable for its existence at a point in time. The sex is often softcore but there is some hardcore smoking going on here also. While Kristel is compelling, her character is problematic with a meandering sexcapade story. She is often portrayed as a student of sex but she can only do a faux-innocent. It's the writing more than the acting. In one moment, she's being pushed to learn while in other moments, she's jumping into sexual situations. It comes off as bad faking.

This film used to be a classic adult piece and is based on the book, which in itself was judged scandalous when published in 1970 something. Now, thirty years later, it is a fairly stylish soft blue film, which is served beautifully by its soundtrack and somehow by photography, which remains charming and announces the David Hamilton style of Bilitis. As for the rest - and let's not talk about the supposedly adult character of the film, if anything it spread the word about "French" films in the English speaking world, but has the flavour of a 1970s film, which basically means handlebar moustache and burners, funky shirts and picturesque house furniture (especially in the opening scene in Paris).Some aspects of the script, such as a rape scene, young Marie-Anne are shocking today - apparently they were not so much back then.It ranks more as a drama with sex today and should be considered like Basic Instinct or The Lover or even Last Tango, rather than like soft porn. This style has very few exceptions that survive the years, oh! life is difficult for erotic romance.Still the supposedly intellectual approach to sexuality is fairly boring today, and rather pedantic. 5/10 for a nice soundtrack and photography and a script which does tell a story albeit a dull one.

Although not quite as good as it's sequel, "Emmanuelle: Joys of A Woman," this film made Dutch actress/model Sylvia Kristel an international star, and changed the way sex was presented in mainstream film forever after. Filmed in exotic Thailand, this is the engaging story of a beautiful young woman's sexual awakening, (or sexual corruption, depending on how you look at it.) Emmanuelle is the 19 year old wife of a wealthy diplomat, a man older than her, and with much more worldly experience than his innocent young bride. Jean is proud to claim that Emmanuelle is not his possession, and that he would like nothing more than for her to be free to explore her own sexuality. However when Emmanuelle falls in love and runs off with a female friend, her husband doesn't deal with it as well as he thought. Emmanuelle, played by the exquisite Sylvia Kristel, is surrounded by people eager to teach her all about eroticism and sensuality. There are the bored, jet set wives who spend their days lounging by the pool in tiny swimsuits and gigantic 70's sunglasses. There is the young girl, Marie-Ange, forever sucking lolli-pops, who teaches Emmanuelle not to be ashamed of masturbation, (in a very hot scene,). There is the bitchy Arianne, forever trying to seduce the younger Emmanuelle. And finally there is the older man, Mario, who is the catalyst, the man who "breaks" Emmanuelle, through a series of sometimes disturbing sexual games, re-inventing her into the sexually liberated woman that we see in the numerous sequels. And for those only familiar with the sequels, this is an important one to see, as this is where Emmanuelle comes into being. It is quite fascinating to watch this character develop from a wide eyed innocent, into a free-thinking sexual being, a woman not afraid to enjoy what men have enjoyed since the dawn of time. The erotic scenes are tasteful, and never go beyond soft-core. "Emmanuelle" is an erotic film with a lot of class and style. There is a particular scene which has been cut from many new DVD releases; a violent rape scene in an opium den. The scene is important, as it is a pivotal scene in Emmanuelle's "education." It is the scene that breaks her, and makes her realize that sex is not something to be feared. In the scene directly following that rape, she is brought to a Thai boxing match, where her body is the prize for the winning fighter. This sexual encounter could have been a rape also, but because she is not afraid, there is no rape, just a consensual act that she derives great pleasure from. Classic 70's theme, more controversial today than it was then. This is a must for fans of cult and erotic films. And if you enjoy this, seek out "Emmanuelle 2;" it's even better!

Going into this film, the only thing that I was really worried about was that it might be boring. It's not that I particularly have anything against pornography; but what's taboo now and what was taboo over three decades ago are different things, and besides that; you can only watch people having sex for so long before it begins to get dull. However, I was wrong; the film isn't boring, and while the focus is usually on sex; there actually is a story, and it actually is quite interesting! The film is unlikely to appeal to people that are interested in the more perverted side of sex as the film doesn't feature anything above lesbian sex, but the tender way that the story is presented as well as the French style give it a very erotic feel throughout. The plot, as you might expect, focuses on the character 'Emmanuelle', a young woman that lives with her husband; an older man, in Bangkok. They share a sort of teacher-pupil relationship, and they're also very liberal where adultery is concerned, as neither one cares too much about the other's antics with other people.This film inspired a barrage of slightly less tasteful sequels, as well as a range of Italian films, many of which were directed by sleaze God Joe D'Amato. I don't think the filmmakers intended Emmanuelle to be associated so closely with sleaze, and actually at times; it doesn't really feel like a porn film; more of a drama with sex. I've got no idea how many taboos this film broke upon it's release over three decades ago, but the fact that it doesn't really break many today does it a favour where class is concerned as the film never feels too dirty, and this bodes well with the high class of the lead characters and setting. Sylvia Kristel takes the lead role, and is believable as a sexually naive young woman. She is joined by a number of eye-pleasing actresses, including Christine Boisson and Marika Green, and all get to take their clothes off in several scenes. The settings in which it all takes place are pleasing also, and the film is of a much higher class than a lot of nowadays porn. I'm surprised that Emmanuelle still has a notorious reputation, as it's only soft-core at best; but it's definitely worth seeing, if only to see how much things have changed!