Venus in Furs--Closing Write-up

 Well, I'm closing shop with Venus in Furs and it has been quite a pleasure to re-evaluate and re-visit the film after a considerable absence of a few years. I really enjoyed it, I must say. It has quite a fetching babe in the lead, with heavy emphasis on the jazz and locales.

 Features nudity

Now, what kills her victims? Those she “avenges” herself against? With Kapp, was it the desire he could not attain? He tries to touch her. To just touch her. And he couldn’t. Oh, he gets to remove a stocking, smooches her flesh at the ankle and toes, but when he wants to have so much more, she doesn’t allow him to have anything further. He sees her, and she teases him. She gets him right at his weakness. His age and perhaps a heart condition do the rest. I liked the touch when we see Wanda as a corpse, when the reality of what Kapp's participation was responsible for. Kapp was a part, even if smaller than his accomplices, of her demise and he is denied that passion he so covets.

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What I have always felt is particularly emphasized by Mr. Franco is the place, the atmosphere of a setting where his films are set. Here, Rio, Carnival Time, is quite a setting, full of flavor and rich in energy. The people, in costume, and heartily embracing the musical aspects that come with this celebration of culture and tradition; it is of definite importance to Franco. Then you have the clubs and the privileged group that attend them, with Jimmy and his boys jamming.

Sadly, those in attendance could probably care less of the music that is flowing so inspirationally from the band. You have Hermann (played by Franco vet, Paul Muller) who pays their gigs, drunk and flirting all the time, and it comments on how those with money often have little artistic integrity, but the finances to pay those starving and struggling, talented musicians at the mercy to them.

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Rita, as I had mentioned before, to me is basically the odd woman out, as she has plenty to offer Jimmy and it is far more realistic and authentic than Wanda could possibly provide him. But Wanda is that fantasy that is too irresistible. People die because of this. Jimmy gives up Rita for Wanda…even after telling Rita that she was the one for him, that he’d make it up to her. That infatuation with Wanda is shared by others, not just Jimmy. Wanda walks into a room, attention by certain characters (who can see her) is diverted towards her. A rival to Rita. A figure of lust to her killers. A figure of dominant power to Jimmy. At least Rita only suffers from relationship abandonment, and nothing violent. Jimmy and Wanda weren’t so lucky.

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María Rohm was cast in a few of the films during Franco’s “golden era”, while associated with Harry Alan Towers, producer. I really liked 99 Women, for which she was one of the main leads in the early period of Women in Prison genre. But Venus in Furs will probably be the film she’s most remembered for, if just because it is held in such high regard by Franco’s vocal fanbase. 

Even some of his detractors like Venus in Furs. Trust me, those who aren’t fond of his work actually saying they like Venus in Furs is quite the statement about the film’s reputation. While I personally hold The Diabolical Dr. Z as my personal favorite film, I cannot deny Venus in Furs is a film that has every right to be considered one of his greats. I guess it still comes down to what you look for in a Franco film. Some want that torture shit. Some want close ups of vagina. Some want sex and violence, depravity and degradation. That’s not me, but if that’s you, so be it. I like strange and erotic. I want style and exotic locales. I certainly love glamorous, gorgeous women and fascinating faces. When Franco reined in his zoom lens and excessive editing, he could really photograph. And the more I watch something like Venus in Furs, the more I dig the jazz added to his films. I certainly like how musicians are used in Venus in Furs.

Out of the three victims, it appears that Olga is the most guilt-ridden about her involvement in Wanda’s death. She slits her wrists once her momentary lesbian session results in Wanda’s corpse reappearing as it was after the trio murdered her. Grief-stricken and acknowledging her association in the crime, Olga accepts suicide as the appropriate punishment. Wanda, in essence, is a reminder of a terrible wrong caused by sadism that got out of hand.

I think Franco reinforces quite a bit that Jimmy’s giving up a good thing with Rita for a fantasy that will never have results. Well, healthy results, that is.

We escaped from the real world into the dream world I never wanted to end.

For a brief time at the end, Jimmy and Wanda return to Istanbul. Rita knows it’s over and leaves Jimmy. It was as if he never gave Rita another thought as afterward we see him off to Istanbul with Wanda in a loving hug of embrace that seems just too good to be true…and is. Ultimately, Wanda has one last act of revenge to carry out…Ahmed.

I get a kick out of the final act of revenge against Ahmed. His voice is dubbed by someone right out of Ali Baba, and we get a tale of a sultan and his willingness to be a courtesan’s slave. This tale is made manifest as Ahmed is tied and hanging as Wanda (in the role of the courtesan) makes out with one of his royal guards. Your guess is as good as mine what ultimately kills Ahmed, maybe her seductive powers were so strong his heart gave out. I don’t know. All I know is that Franco knew what kind of fascinating face Kinski had and shot it in every way imaginable to get the most out of him. Only Herzog got more out of his face and presence than Franco. Franco always said he got along with Kinski, and when he’s on screen he is so captivating to watch. Some actors/actresses have a power/presence that is incredible. Franco milks those sinister eyes and enigmatic presence of Kinski for all its worth.

The ending. What does it all mean? Jimmy finds himself washing ashore like Wanda. So, was anything we saw real? How much of what Jimmy experienced was real and fantasy? Were his moments with Wanda real? With Rita? Was he even a certifiable horn musician? I figure most, like me, believe bits and pieces were real. I don’t think Wanda was real. I think perhaps he saw her with the trio. I’m sure Wanda was killed and perhaps he even experienced seeing her dead body. Perhaps Jimmy saw more than could be allowed. Perhaps Jimmy couldn’t live in his melancholy state of life with the music scene as it was and he drowned. So many idea flow freely. Interpretations abound. Venus in Furs could mean something different for everyone. There are moments that happen without Jimmy in them. Like the revenge scenes where Wanda “haunts” her murderers. Were those fantasies Jimmy “dreamed up” for his dead Wanda? It is always fun to come up with ideas that might fit, or might not.