Movie Review: Anita (Swedish Nymphette)

This 1973 exploitation flick tells the story of a nymphomaniac girl (Anita) who is forced to leave her small hometown because she has slept with every man in town, and once she sleeps with them, she can't stand the sight of them. So she goes to the big city where there are plenty more men to have sex with in janitor's closets and tents set up on the street near construction sites. But in the city, a young psychology student (Erik) knocks her down and then picks her up to help discover the source of her problem and seek a cure, after asking his prof if he can "do her" for his dissertation, which the prof says is fine, but he should make sure not to sleep with her until after she's cured.

It's not at all uncommon for exploitation flicks to masquerade as serious movies, but this one really struck me as a good movie about sex, although it falters toward the end, as many do. In particular, the movie succeeds because Christina Lindberg (seen here in my post about noses) wonderfully conveys the tidal pull of the addict. In particular, there is one scene that I think will resonate with any person who struggles with compulsive behaviors (like, oh, I don't know, masturbation). Anita, having just picked up a man at the train station for sex is weeping in the borrowed room when an old glassmaker comes up to get his share. Taken aback by her tears, the glassmaker sits down beside her, and she spills out how much she despises herself for doing what she does, then proceeds to unzip his pants and get on her knees.

Erik tries to talk Anita through her problem by making her see her self-worth and strictly refusing to have sex with her, despite the fact that he has fallen completely in love with her, but his words are worthless. It seems that the cause of her nymphomania is her complete inability to have an orgasm, and to be cured, she must experience one, which becomes the driving force in the second half of the movie.

The medical aspect of the movie seems pretty ludicrous to me, and I suspect it's counter to anything a modern-day sex therapist would recommend, but nonetheless I felt this movie was actually quite compelling. It's not a hardcore flick--there are no gynecological shots or steam piston sequences. The numerous sex-scenes are kept brief, even without nudity initially. The nudity increases as the movie goes on, with Anita slowly revealing her body as she bares her soul, which is nice because Lindberg really is a beauty.

A good movie, recommended for anyone who is interested in serious movies about sex. If it's not as "fun" or fast-paced as some other exploitation flicks, it also steers around the use of sexual violence. There is no rape in the movie, which contributes somewhat to then entire movie's overall sense of innocence that is a great part of its charm.