Il pornografo

This odd little film is typical of Dreyfus's early work, like "Duddy Kravitz", with an intriguing performance in an odd role. Dreyfus plays The Boy Wonder, a once highly talented silent film director who, by the early 30s, has become a ghost story, directing stag films for a living. While no actual connection is made, I believe that The Boy Wonder was also a name for Fatty Arbuckle, who this could easily "be" -- years after the scandalous incident that ruined his career. This film also gets interesting performances from Jessica Harper ("My Favorite Year"), Veronica Cartwright, and, long before his toon experience, Bob Hoskins. It takes place entirely within a house, during a single morning, and could easily be done as a stage play. It would classify as a fairly common "Slice of Life" film, excepting for the rather strong nudity and sexual content. In fact it was a bit scandalous when it was released, as an "X" movie with a major star like Dreyfus in it.