The Opening of Misty Beethoven


The Opening of Misty Beethoven is an American pornographic comedy film released in 1976. It was produced with a relatively high budget and filmed on elaborate locations in Paris, New York City and Rome with a musical score, and owes much to its director Radley Metzger. According to author Toni Bentley, The Opening of Misty Beethoven is considered the "crown jewel" of the Golden Age of Porn.

Plot

In Pigalle, Seymour watches a porn film in a cinema when Misty, a call girl, offers him a handjob. Once she finishes a pre-arranged handjob session with a man dressed as Napoleon, she takes Seymour to her brothel. There, his probing questionnaire irritates her, prompting her to ask him to leave. Meanwhile, Seymour overhears his friend Geraldine's voice. Mid-intercourse in the "cowgirl" position, Geraldine converses with Seymour. Geraldine and Seymour meet up with Misty, who slaps him.
Seymour offers Misty a job. After some contemplation, she agrees and accompanies Seymour to the United States. On the flight, a stewardess performs blowjob on a passenger, indicating a world where public sex is normalized.
In the U.S., Seymour begins grooming Misty to win Lawrence Layman's "Most Exciting New Girl of the Season" title in Goldenrod magazine. She is initiated into various sexual acts—receiving cum facials, anal and oral dildo training, and handjob techniques. Geraldine demonstrates a blowjob. Misty initially hesitates but gradually becomes more confident.
En route to Rome, Misty is fondled and orally pleasured by a woman. Their Roman hotel is filled with orgies; Geraldine performs fellatio on a waiter. Misty's first assignment places her in the company of Alfredo and his wife. In their car, she performs fellatio on Alfredo. Meanwhile, Seymour receives a blowjob from a waitress. At the opera, Misty fondles Alfredo and engages in anal sex with him in a restroom. The incident becomes a sensation in Rome. Misty's name spreads rapidly.
At the hotel, Seymour continues her training—having her give simultaneous blowjobs and handjobs to three unresponsive waiters. He then assigns her to seduce Jacque, a gay artist in Geneva. During his briefing—delivered while receiving a blowjob—Geraldine also performs fellatio on a waiter.
Seymour sends his ally Tanya to Geneva, where she poses as a maid and secretly photographs Jacque's home. In rehearsals, Tanya plays Misty, and Geraldine plays Jacque. They simulate seduction, including nipple sucking and oral sex. Misty observes as Seymour and Tanya engage in blowjob, missionary, and "cowgirl" sex, culminating with Seymour ejaculating on Tanya.
The next morning, Seymour encounters Geraldine receiving cunnilingus from a waiter. Misty expresses discomfort with the Geneva assignment, citing its cheating nature. Seymour persuades her by confessing his feelings for her and promising dinner afterward. In Geneva, Misty visits Jacque and follows the rehearsal steps—kissing, nipple sucking, fellatio, and intercourse in "cowgirl"—ultimately succeeding in seducing him. She continues despite ejaculation.
Seymour celebrates Misty's success with orgy. Her seduction of a gay turned her into an even bigger phenomenon, but it leaves her disillusioned. Geraldine receives a cunnilingus while Misty badmouths Seymour. Unapologetic when confronted, Misty returns to her routine—performing blowjob for three waiters. This time, she successfully arouse and bring them to ejaculate. Alone, she cries.
Later, at a party at Lawrence's studio, Misty meets Lawrence and his wife Barbara. Barbara kisses and performs cunnilingus on Misty, who reciprocates. Lawrence joins, and the trio engage in oral sex. He performs missionary intercourse with Misty while Barbara anally stimulate him. Misty dons a strap-on dildo and anally penetrates Lawrence as he penetrates Barbara.
Elsewhere, Seymour, dressed as Caesar, receives fellatio from Geraldine in an orgy. He boasts of manipulating Misty into the Geneva assignment by pretending to love her. Misty overhears this and, feeling betrayed, announces she is leaving him for Lawrence. Her new act with Lawrence becomes an overnight sensation.
Back in New York, Seymour is dejected. At home, while being fellated by a rotating line of waitresses, he reminisces about Misty. As he wonders what she might be doing, the next waitress is revealed to be Misty. She begins to suck Seymour, who remains unaware. Seymour eventually realizes it is her but pretends not to know, mockingly recalling her poor fellatio. In response, she bites his penis. They reconcile, kiss, and have vigorous sex in multiple positions—missionary, lap-sitting, cunnilingus, and nipple sucking, ending with Seymour thrusting even after ejaculation.
In the streets, people gossip about the "last Goldenrod girl" who vanished, her name already fading from memory. Misty is shown oral training new recruits, receiving cunnilingus herself, while a bound and submissive Seymour sits obediently by her side.

Cast

An adult erotic take on George Bernard Shaw 1913 play Pygmalion, and its 1956 musical adaptation My Fair Lady, the film follows a sexologist who tries transforming a low-skilled prostitute into a goddess of passion. Her instruction includes seducing a gay male art dealer, pleasing three men at once, pegging a man, and similar sexual conquests. Shaw's character of Henry Higgins here becomes the sexologist Dr. Seymour Love, played by Jamie Gillis. Shaw's character of Eliza Doolittle here becomes Dolores "Misty" Beethoven, played by Constance Money. Shaw's Colonel Pickering here becomes Geraldine Rich, played by Jacqueline Beudant.

2012 restoration

In 2012, DistribPix oversaw a complete restoration of the film, with the full cooperation of the director. The result had a limited exhibition in theaters, but the main outcome of the project was the first-ever official DVD and Blu-ray releases.

Awards

Awards from the Adult Film Association of America:
During the 2012 restoration of the film, a fully annotated CD soundtrack was released.

Remake

In 2004, Misty Beethoven: The Musical!, a musical remake, was released. It featured Sunset Thomas, Randy Spears, Julie Meadows, Asia Carrera, Chloe, Dave Cummings, Mike Horner, Evan Stone and Tyce Bune. It was directed by Veronica Hart. The film won the 2004 XRCO Award for "Best Comedy or Parody" and the 2005 AVN Award for "Best Sex Comedy".