Deep Throat (1972, Linda Lovelace, Harry Reems, Dolly Sharp, Carol Connors) – Classic Movie Review 9986

‘How far does a girl have to go to untangle her tingle?’

Linda Lovelace stars in writer-director Gerard Damiano’s infamous, oft-banned, much censored Seventies sex film Deep Throat (1972). The film was banned in the UK, upheld by the courts 10 years later. But an uncut DVD was finally given an R18 rating in the UK in 2000, allowing it to be sold in licensed sex shops. And a non-X-rated censored edition of the film was released on DVD in 2006.

This ground-breaking American porno film was at the forefront of what is now charmingly known as ‘the Golden Age of Porn’ (1969–1984). However, Golden Age or not, the cast and crew fancied hiding under pseudonyms.

It is written and directed by Gerard Damiano, listed in the credits as Jerry Gerard, produced by Louis ‘Butchie’ Peraino, credited as Lou Perry, shot by João Fernandes (as Harry Flecks) and stars Linda Lovelace, aka Linda Susan Boreman.

It is a pioneer as one of the first porn films to feature a plot, character development, and reasonable production values. It entered mainstream consciousness and launched what is now charmingly known as the ‘porno chic’ trend.

It is also a pioneer of its pornographic kind, as the film was much banned and was the subject of many obscenity trials, no doubt helping to keep its reputation alive.

The scenes involving Linda Lovelace were shot in North Miami, Florida, over six days in January 1972. Ms Lovelace originally wrote that making the film was a liberating experience but later wrote that she was coerced and sexually assaulted during the production and that it is a real rape pornography film. She has said: ‘Virtually every time someone watches that movie, they’re watching me being raped’ and ‘It is a crime that movie is still showing; there was a gun to my head the entire time.’

Also in the cast are Harry Reems as Dr Young, Dolly Sharp as Helen, Bill Harrison as Mr Maltz, William Love as Wilber Wang, Carol Connors as the nurse, Bob Phillips as Mr Fenster, Ted Street as delivery boy, John Byron as #11, Jack Birch (billed as Michael Powers) as #12, Gerard Damiano (billed as Al Gork) as Last Man and Ron Wertheim (unbilled) as Bearded Man on Sofa.

The scenes involving Carol Connors were shot in New York City.

Roger Ebert wrote in March 1973: ‘It is all very well and good for Linda Lovelace to advocate sexual freedom. But the energy she brings to her role is less awesome than discouraging. If you have to work this hard at sexual freedom, maybe it isn’t worth the effort.’

Screw magazine wrote: ‘I was never so moved by any theatrical performance since stuttering through my own bar mitzvah.’ Variety wrote: ‘Deep Throat doesn’t quite live up to its reputation as the Ben-Hur of porno pix.’

Poducer Peraino was the owner of Plymouth Distributing, later Arrow Film and Video. The production cost of $22,500 plus $25,000 for music, was provided by Peraino’s father, Anthony ‘Big Tony’ Peraino, allegedly a member of the Colombo crime family.

Gerard Damiano, who had rights to a third of the profits, was reportedly paid out with a lump sum of $25,000 when the film was a hit. John Franzese also had a stake in the film. The film was then distributed by a network of allegedly Mafia-connected associates of the Peraino family.

A 2005 documentary about the film, Inside Deep Throat, alleged that many cinemas screening it were mob-connected enterprises, which probably also ‘inflated box office receipts as a way of laundering income from drugs and prostitution’.

Deep Throat premiered at New York City’s New World Theatre on 12 June 1972, advertised under the title Throat. It grossed $1 million in its first seven weeks and made a then-record $3 million in its first six months. The FBI estimates that the film produced an income of about $100 million in Seventies money.

As seen in All the President’s Men, Howard Simons, managing editor of The Washington Post, chose Deep Throat as the code name for the Watergate inside informant, years later revealed to be assistant FBI director W Mark Felt.

Someone else fancied hiding under a pseudonym. In December 2014, it was revealed that the supporting actress billed as Dolly Sharp was Helen Wood (1935–1998), a former Broadway performer who, as a teenager, had a major role in the 1953 Hollywood musical Give a Girl a Break.

In liberated Holland, Deep Throat made it to TV. On 23 February 2008, the Netherlands Public Broadcasting corporations VPRO and BNN screened it on national television as part of a themed night on the history of pornographic films. It was seen by 907,000 viewers.

Deep Throat is made by Gerard Damiano Film Productions, is released by Bryanston Distributing (1972) (US) and runs 61 minutes, 50 minutes (cut) or 85 minutes (softcore).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9986

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