University
of California Press
Pages:
264
28
b&w illustrations
ISBN:
9780520380097
Paperback
RRP:
£27
REVIEW BY ADRIAN SMITH
When
the Argentine actress Isabel Sarli passed away in June 2019 the world lost one
of the most beautiful, glamorous, and let’s be honest, sexy women in cinema.
She was a superstar, a goddess, whose twenty-seven films from 1958 to 1984 with
partner-director and frequent co-star Armando Bó caused scandal and outrage in
their home country of Argentina, and yet outside of the Spanish-speaking world
she is relatively unknown. Aside from some films making it to New York’s 42nd
Street grindhouses they did not make much of an impact, which is a great pity,
so one hopes that this book, the first about Sarli to be published in English,
will go some way towards improving the situation.
Isabel
Sarli, nicknamed Coca, a former Miss Argentina who reached the semi-finals for
Miss Universe in 1955, made her film debut swimming nude in Thunder Among
the Leaves (1958), and immediately caused a sensation. The scene is often
said to be the first glimpse of full-frontal nudity in Argentinian cinema. She
immediately became a star and embarked on a remarkable partnership (and
personal relationship) with its director Armando Bó. She was said to be the
cleanest woman in cinema, as so many of the films featured her bathing or
showering. She was also not averse to frolicking naked in snow, on sand or in
the jungle. She was Insatiable (also the name of her last film with Bó
in 1984). In what is probably their most famous film Fuego (1969), she
trysts with her lover, her housemaid and even random workmen she picks up in
the street, whilst in Fever (1972) she memorably pleasures herself
whilst fantasising about horses copulating. With other film titles in their
career like Tropical Lust (1964), Naked Temptation (1966) and Intimacies
of a Prostitute (1972), it is no wonder she was a famous sexual icon whilst
at the same time attracting a vast amount of censorship and distribution issues
at home.
As
Victoria Ruétalo makes clear in this excellent book, Sarli was not only in
front of the camera; she was heavily involved in the production of the films. After
all, it was her body that was frequently the selling point, so it only seems
right that she had an element of power and control over what was going on. The
book explores their filmography in relation to Argentinian politics, in
particular in reference to the Perón era and its emphasis on the power of the
working man. It is surely no coincidence that Sarli’s first nude swim saw her
being watched by a local worker. Frequently Sarli’s sexuality was present in
relation to the working class, juxtaposing leisure with the hard labour they
had to perform. Sometimes, as in Meat (1968) where Sarli’s character is
kidnapped by some of her fellow workforce in the meat-packing factory and
gang-raped, the working man is the enemy. These films could be challenging as well
as titillating.
Ruétalo
also looks at the problems inherent in trying to research a subject when
archives have been destroyed. There was so much government censorship within
Argentina, but sadly the records were disposed of, and the historian is left
trying to find crumbs that still reveal something about what happened.
Thankfully the book is able to present us with what she was able to locate.
Their impact on the Spanish-speaking world is also assessed. Not only did Sarli
and Bó shoot their films around South America, making the most of the
spectacular locations on offer, but they were also seen in many countries as
well as Argentina. In Feugo they even managed a short trip to shoot
scenes in New York, adding further local appeal for those grindhouse audiences.
Violated Frames: Armando Bó and Isabel Sarli's Sexploits is an
essential read for anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating
piece of World Cinema history and the fabulous icon that was Isabel Sarli.
This
reviewer recorded an interview with Victoria Ruétalo for the podcast Second
Features, which can be found here: https://play.acast.com/s/second-features/fuego-1969-with-guest-victoria-ruetalo
You
can purchase the book in all the regular places, including here: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520380097/violated-frames