Merry it ain't. Mellow would best describe this movie, wherein a widow and the "other woman" come to terms after the death of Johnny (Marc Wallice), their mutually beloved man. Melanie Moore is the widow and P.J. Sparxx the playmate, in scenes that frame the sexual flashbacks.

What it really comes down to, though, is sex, and Merry Widows generates some real heat! As a '60s college student, Wallice has the good fortune to make love —not war— simultaneously with Teri Diver and Tonisha Mills. As a grunt in Vietnam, he makes his Asian lover (Shawnee Cates) do some grunting herself, but the wedding night with Melanie Moore is truly a treasured moment of erotic, a guaranteed bone-stiffener with a tremendous facial climax.

As the girlfriend, P.J. Sparxx has a throwaway threeway with Wallice and an uncredited male; but she saves up all her undeniable sexual energy for the closer, as she and Melanie share more than a few intimacies. With its gorgeous imagery and dreamlike pacing, the scene plays as sultry and sexy as anything by Andrew Blake.

Though the "flashback" scenario is routine. Merry Widows is a heartfelt attempt to deal with an emotional situation in a sexual context, and thanks to some excellent performances, the film succeeds quite well.

A great couples tape with an enticing boxcover that should be recommended to customers looking for quality adult fare.