Le Sexe qui parle

Le Sexe qui parle is a 1975 French adult film by Claude Mulot. It was the first exclusive hardcore feature film produced and released in France to meet international success, and has since garnered a cult following. In 1977, Mulot directed the sequel Le Sexe qui parle II, which starts with the "infection" passed by Eric to a prostitute.

Plot

Joëlle is a beautiful executive at an advertising company who is married to Eric. Her vagina becomes infected with a mysterious affliction, ostensibly after being seduced by an attractive blonde girl, leading her to engage in indecent sexual acts. However, it is soon revealed that her problems stem from her sexual hardships and obsessions during adolescence. In the finale, she has sex with Eric, passing the "infection" to his penis.

Cast

Pénélope Lamour: Joëlle
Jean-Loup Philippe : Eric
Sylvia Bourdon: Barbara, Joëlle's aunt
Béatrice Harnois: Young Joëlle
Ellen Earl: Martine, the psychiatrist
Vicky Messica: Richard, the reporter

Cultural background

The film is an example of a significant tradition in literature and art of talking vaginas, dating back to the ancient folklore motif of the vagina loquens, or "talking cunt". These tales usually involve vaginas talking due to the effect of magic or charms, and often admitting to their unchastity. Talking female genitals feature in the Ozark folktale The magic walking stick, are an early theme in French literature, most notably in Les bijoux indiscrets and the 13th century fabliau Le Chevalier qui faisoit parler les cons et les culs, and the theme continues with The Vagina Monologues.

US release

The film was exported to the United States with the title Pussy Talk and started a period of French porn chic in America, followed soon by films such as Candy’s Candy and Kinky Ladies of Bourbon Street in 1976.