This page reveals plot spoilers ahead.

Dramatis Personae Feminae*

In Flossie’s opening, the principle characters’ staging occurs over the course of three days with just Jack’s narration to provide the time line for the images that all appear happening in the same day. That lazy storytelling foreshadows the weak script to unfold. All the relevant action or information occurs in vignette flashbacks or is explained in dialogue ad hoc, creating a sterile atmosphere.

Lacking impetus for its characters’ actions, until explaining them after the fact, the story undercuts the single complicating barrier it erects for Jack to overcome, his suspicion of being duped in his aimless carnal pursuits. His indifference to rejection by women and self-deprecating laughter at pranks dull both this pointed subplot and his professional persona. With Flossie’s intimations to him from the start, her virginity presents no lasting obstacle for this one dimensional figure, as he wafts on a breeze. There is nothing at stake to build anticipation upon.

A few minor seconds added to the story could develop drama to Jack’s interactions with Flossie, other than his irrational fear of embarrassment that didn’t faze him before. For instance, she could harbor deep anxiety about intercourse with him from a failed boarding school experimentation with a sex toy that painfully revealed a narrow vaginal canal. It’s not the most original subplot; however, it’s believable one with her petite body. Any further criticism on Flossie’s tenuous script would only give it undeserved credit for being something more substantial than the window dressing it actually is.

In terms of acting in Flossie, the script only brushes fairly broad character sketches, giving the audience something vaguely recognizable but not distinct, unique, and unexpected impressions. Flossie, a bubbly, sweet waif exploring sex, receives the most attention in the story, which the angelic actress aptly portrays with endearing innocence. Had the finale not required her overwrought monologue and reactions, dampening her earlier performance nuances by comparison, the role execution would be perfection.

Her stone-faced paramour, Jack, looks like Steve Buscemi’s older brother after too many Botox injections into the face. But this plays well with his suspicions about the entire situation being too good to be true. During the pair’s first encounter, their foreplay starts with a satisfying and steady slow burn that sizzles with passion, which is surprising with their contrasting personalities.

One character for whom the language barrier is lamentable is the sensuous Eva, who has the most demanding role with its daunting expectations. Depending on the story’s needs, she expertly reflects a mature woman lonely, coy, bold, playful, serious and many other things where any missteps would easily be forgiven in a golden young actress.

The English-subtitled version screened had been edited in the sex scenes severely and hastily to reduce the film to an X-rated edited, which almost ruins the entire film by offering only R-rated views and erections. Its subtitles were written by someone possessing English as a second language, but not so poorly that it harms the storytelling. To the translator’s credit, only a handful of phrases minor to the story’s narration lose meaning from a literal translation of idiomatic expressions. Softcore nudity often spares Flossie from bouts of flaccidity. Regardless, its first time viewer would be better off reading the plot’s detailed description before watching the Swedish original and explicit XXX release, barring other options.

Excellent cinematography shines through even its hobbled X-rated form with adept camera tracking, panning, zooming, and focusing changes that well defines the actresses’ appealing positions and graceful movements on screen.

Image by 00anders, via Flickr

A musical score very much of its pre-disco era, the edited electric instrumentals often complement the action’s tempo on screen with great precision, sounding abnormally micromanaged to modern ears. But the paucity in its play list wearies even this fan of funky ’70s tunes. The same slow electric bass riff heralds kinky doings about to go down for too many of the sex scenes. Redirecting some of the meticulous effort in editing toward enriching the soundtrack with more tracks would keep the viewers’ ears alert, thus completely realizing the potential of Flossie’s masterful sound editing. Although in a foreign language, the dialogue audio always appears synchronized with the visuals and recorded without irregularities in several challenging locations.

Shot entirely on location in at least one well-kept mansion of Old World luxury, the production design is flawless. The softer, warmer hues visible in film likely hide any mistakes that would be more readily apparent in video, a colder medium more stark in its contrasts.

*Filmography links and data courtesy of IMDb.

Click page 3 for a transcription of Flossie

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