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L'Ultimo Harem
The Last Harem
El Último Harén / Der letzte Harem / El Último Harem
Italy / Spain / West Germany 1981
produced by Federico Aicardi for Amakar International Film, J.E. Films, Barbara Seelk Filmproduktion
directed by Willy S. Regan (= Sergio Garrone)
starring Corinne Cléry, George Lazenby, Daniela Poggi, María Kosty, Ursula Buchfellner, Mirta Miller, Adriana Vega, Karin Fiedler, Peter Lamarr, Serafino Profumo, Sergio Smacchi, Enrica Donniccelli, Elisabetta Maggi, Antonio Azzolini, Angelo Pennoni, Marina Hedman, Aldo Sambrell, Gérard Tichy
screenplay by Federico Aicardi, Sergio Garrone, Heinz Freitag, Alberto Vázquez Figueroa, based on the novel by Alberto Vázquez Figueroa, music by Stelvio Cipriani
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Almalarik (George Lazenby) is the crown prince of a small but rich Arab
Emirate, and one of the richest men on earth. And while he was educated in
the West and well-versed in Western customs, he still has his own harem,
even if these things have become a thing of the past even in his country,
and his father the king insists he disbands it. Until recently, he
wouldn't have thought of it, but then he met Sara (Corinne Cléry), fell
hook, line and sinker in love with her, and even lets her talk him into
disbanding the harem - even if she needed to run away and let him capture
her to convince him of it. A few months later, Sara is found dead in her
room, apparently killed by one of Almalarik's other wives or
concubines. Almalarik goes out to bury Sara but orders the other
women to deliver Sara's killer at his return so he can punish, probably
kill her. And should they fail to do so, he will simply kill them all.
However, on his way into the desert to bury Sara, he has an accident and
is ultimately found by a bedouine tribe, and their leader (Aldo Sambrell)
not only nurses him back to health but also teaches him humility. So once
he's back at his palace, he wants to divorce/release all of his wives and
concubines, all with quite a healthy sum of money, without punishing
Sara's killer in the slightest ...
However, much has happened in the harem in the meantime: After being at
each other's throat trying to find the murderer, and after a botched up
escape attempt by two of tehm (Daniela Poggi, Maria Kosty), Almalarik's
first fiwe Aysha (Mirta Miller) has managed to unite them and persuaded
them to assassinate him. Why? Because it was actually her who has killed
Sara, and she wants to instigate a coup d'état so her own son with
Almalarik can become king ...
Basically this is typical 1970s/early 1980s exploitation, with
a sensationalist title, a promise of nudity and (softcore) sex and a few
decadent and exotic locations to boot. Plus the promise of Corinne Cléry
and George Lazenby in the leads (even if the film is centered more around
Daniela Poggi and Maria Kosty) and exploitation veteran Sergio Garrone in
the director's chair doesn't hurt with exploitation audiences either. The
result is ... well, middling: It's not quite as sleazy as one almost
expects it to be, at times even a tad boring, it takes itself a tad too
seriously given the fact it doesn't really have all that much meat on its
bones. Fun nostalgia, yes, but not all that much more mind you.
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