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Moonlighting Wives
[Retro-Seduction Cinema]
1964; color
Directed by Joe Sarno
Starring: John Aristedes, Joe Jenckes, Shariaya Lee, Jody Lynn, June Roberts, Joe Santos & Tammy Latour
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On the whole I wouldn't say I'm a huge Joe Sarno fan but I do enjoy his "suburban sin" era; of which Moonlighting Wives (his first color feature) is a classic example. The typically long and drawn out plot focuses on the trials and tribulations of one Joan Rand. She's a housewife / mother who has grown increasing bored of her suburban sprawl (don't they all?) and longs for a better life for herself, her son and her husband. Well, maybe not her husband, as she doesn't seem to care for him too much. Possibly due to his failure to bring home an acceptable amount of bacon or perhaps Joan's just not that into him. (As extensive as the plotline is, and it is quite extensive even for Sarno, this is an exploitation film, not an exercise in marriage counseling so they don't really get into the more delicate details of their discord.) All the viewer needs to know is, Joan's got champagne tastes and the husband's hunting and gathering abilities can only provide for a beer budget. To her credit however, the lady is not lazy and can't be content to just sit around the house and berate her husband into earning more money. (Although she does give it a try.) So she starts her own business; a stenography service. Now, I know what you're thinking. A stenography service? That doesn't even sound like a legitimate way to earn money. That sounds more like a front for some sort of illegal activity involving women in tight sweaters, pencil skirts and high heels and lecherous businessmen high on a three martini lunch. But that is not true. Not at first anyway. (Meaning the first few minutes of the film.) It doesn't take long for the euphemistic lightbulb of opportunity to appear over Joan's head though, inspiring her to take a page from the oldest profession in the book and re-work her business plan to include much less dictation and much more… forget it, it's too easy. Anywhoo, sex is always an easy sell so it doesn't take long for Joan to become the most successful secret slut-for-hire on the block. And, seeing as how her safe suburban slum is rife with both aspects of the supply and demand scenario necessary to fuel any money-making business venture, coupled with her husband's booze fueled ignorance to what's really going on, Joan's seemingly landed on easy street. (Don't feel too bad for him by the way, he'll be regularly banging their 18 year old baby-sitter by the end of the film.) Still, her voracious need to succeed inspires her to set her sights beyond her cul-de-sac, and onto her next conquest - the country club. Here the cast of characters grows ever larger as more and more people get tangled in her sex work web. As is the case in all of these films, eventually Joan's secret will be revealed and, believe me, there will be a price to pay. Of course, we won't really see that part; as is also the case in all of these films, they end just after a proper punishment is detailed and the proper party's head is properly hung in the shame of it all. On the whole I had to admit I liked this movie. Yes, it's too long (all of his films are), and too predictable (see last aside), it's also - you might wanna brace yourselves for this one - almost nudity free, but it's also very much like a dirty minded extended episode of General Hospital from the swingin' '60s, replete with orgies, tiki wall hangings and Keane paintings.
—Bunny
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