Lorna

"Wham, bam, and Thank You, ma'am."

Lorna is bored, unexcited, and sexually unfulfilled in her current relationship with a child-like husband who adores her but is rather timid, not exactly a manly man, if you will. James has a childlike innocence about him that reminds you of a kid running around the sidewalks of Mayberry, which unfortunately makes him easy for co-worker, Luther (a real louse, one of those creeps that follows, like a bloodhound to coon, after curvy ladies who wouldn't give him the time of day), to poke fun at. Lorna fantasizes about jiggling her hips and tits in Hollywood and Vegas, while stuck in the road to nowhere with the hubby who cannot even remember their anniversary. A collision course is about to occur as a dangerous escaped convict is heading towards the lake near where James and Lorna reside, with Lorna deciding to take a skinny dip as the criminal crushes a large boulder across a fisherman's noggin, taking his clothes and fishing pole. All that excitement Lorna was craving just might come to pass.

Lorna and her ample bosom are the star attractions for this early Russ Meyer flick, the way men ogle and admire her *form*, and the results of being all hot and bothered end rather violently (of course, it's Russ Meyer, violence always shows up when sex is involved). You know, I have noticed that a lot of these early 60s exploitation flicks use a lot of drums on the soundtrack (like Gothic horror often use organ and piano) to build suspense, Lorna no different (I have to say, I think drums can be quite effective in building to the zenith of **gulp**).

James wants to be a "certified public accountant" much to the mockery and tone of gleeful dissonance from Luther who hardly hides his contempt for the hard-working kid.  He pokes and jabs and prods at Jimmy, ole Luther with his wicked smile and persistent need to bring up Lorna and what happens between the young married couple at night.

What had me shamefully grinning was after Convict forces himself on a frightened and surprised Lorna, rolling around in the grass, at first a fight, until she gives in, the two engaging in passionate love-making (not explicit or shown, instead Russ has the thumping sound of the wooden, rickety boat carrying Luther and his always-agreeing sidekick, Jonah, along with Jimmy as they approach the job) is how after the experience she dotes on him vigorously, the sex so good to her (the rough way he aggressively took charge and the whole encounter has her even wanting to run away with him, unaware (or perhaps aware, but still undaunted) of his status as runaway criminal) that she will cook steak and go to the grocery store to get him some booze!

You know, amiable, gentle ole Jimmy takes and takes shit from Luther for a good brunt of the movie, but when he writes a poem about Lorna, further using inflammatory words like "Slut", he lets the old koot have it. Jonah tries to get involved and gets slugged for his trouble as well. Jimmy might seem like some wide-eyed innocent, but if you ridicule his Lorna, the beast is released and fists of iron are unleashed on those who push him too far.

This film builds to the inevitable confrontation as James gets the rest of the day off from working at the salt mines, returning home with Luther and Jonah (both feeling ashamed for the needling they brought on during the day), this shocking Convict and Lorna after they had another lustful endeavor, not expecting him home until 5:30 in the afternoon. As in any Russ Meyer film, the adulterers pay a price as violence escalates, Jimmy caught off-guard by Convict who is warded off, first by Lorna, who realizes the errors of her ways only too late (Luther explains his jealousy of her marriage to James and comments on how he was wrong in questioning her faithfulness to him; quite a scene that emphasizes mistakes made, not knowing what you had until confronted with it after a betrayal...), then thanks to Luther's handy skill with a pocket knife. It all ends badly for those complicit in wronging Jimmy. While the film does kind of have fun at the expense of Jimmy, completely trusting in his wife, only wanting to keep her happy, I think this character is recognized as a stand-up guy unworthy of ill treatment. In the case of Luther, he has a direct metamorphosis considering the heinousness of his behavior towards a local girl he tried to shag, intruding on her home without a welcome.

All of this is set to a fire-and-brimstone reverend speaking about sin and casting stones and paying for wrongs you committed; a narrative device that cheerfully mocks the morally upright men of God who condemn the unrighteous carefully by using biblical scripture as a means to question and encourage searching the heart before stepping into a situation that could lead to dire consequences.

Well, this film was certainly a bit more sane and focused than Meyer's Up!, not as out-there and unpredictable, reigning in the excess and over-the-top sexual nuttiness. I guess, though, Meyer fans have an idea of which kind of film they would prefer, because Up! certainly challenged you to keep up with it, while Lorna was more methodical and centered. This film opens with quite a camera dolly shot building to the Preacher on a road "perhaps not best traveled", pulling up to him as he mentions where it could lead you, asking if we are prepared. It is wonderfully tongue-in-cheek, and I would expect nothing less from director Meyer.