You may ask yourself, as we did, "How can a film with such high production values have so little heat?" And rest assured, those production values are high. Shot in deserted areas of an island in the Bahamas, the eye feasts on shots of square-jawed redhead Brooke April pleasuring herself in the white sands of the shallow shore that forms the stage for much of the film's sexual action. And then there are the long walks down the unpaved road in the woods that leads from Brooke and Brick Majors' beach house toward town; the abandoned mill where Brooke and Neomi Allen share passionate kisses before heading for some finger-fucking on the beach - this is just one damn pretty movie.

So what's the problem? Well, we could start with the turgid Bergman-esque dialogue, which includes long pauses that, in Cries and Whispers, probably would have had some significance, but here just inspire looking at one's watch and/or reaching for the fast-forward button. Or perhaps the problem is the often-passionless sex, which seems to be performed more as a counterpoint to the scenery than for the enjoyment of anyone involved. And in the end, when Brick arranges for Brooke to dally with Jay Ashley, in "payback" for Brick's infidelity with her friend Wanda Jane, we found ourselves asking, "Why would Brooke even care in the first place?"