Though it billed as a romance this vintage black and white film from the so-called nudist exploitation movie era, Unashamed A Romance is much more. While it has most of the characteristics of the nudie movies of the era, Unashamed tackles some significant social issues. Issues of race, racial preferences, love triangles, social inequality and definitions of beauty all current in society today emerge in the plot of Unashamed.
Naturist Interest
The film is considered a nude exploitation film. That is films that took advance of the hard fought legal challenges won by nudist to show nude bodies on film. There is no effort to hide or cover nude bodes with props. However, it paints a very positive picture of the health benefits of naturism. The kind of typical naturist activities are authentically depicted. There is volleyball, archery, swimming, calisthenics, singing around a camp fire and communal meals typical of naturist camp of the time.
Story
The bulk of the movie takes place in a in the setting of a nudist camp called Olympic fields. The main character in the story a mixed raced young woman named Rae works to get the attention of her hypochondriac boss. Her efforts lead to her boss Robert going to the nudist camp on advice of his doctor. The rest of the plot unfolds from there with lots of bare bodies participating in the kinds of activities typically experienced in nudist circles. There is even an inexplicable presence of a nudist ventriloquist who spouts on-screen quips. What makes this film unique among nude exploitation films is straight forward way it tackles social, emotional and mental health issues.
Things do not work out as planned for Rae. The attention of her boss is captured by a young socialite who accidentally stumbles on Olympic Fields while running away from her “cloistered” life. The unexpected ending has a Shakespearean feel to it. The age of the original media shows in the streaming but it does not impact the ability to enjoy the movie. This movie is worth watching if only to give the viewer an example of nudist media from a by gone era.
Acting
The actors though unknowns capably express the dramatic tensions that associated with the various issues covered in the story. The romance is palpable, the privilege recognizable and the trauma engaging. All thanks to the quality of acting another thing that makes the film different from some of the other films of its day. They depict the reality that human problems and issues don’t disappear when you are socially nude or simply becuase one is a nudist.
Production
The film is in black and white and has the cinematic look and feel of a 1938 movie. However, like much of the rest of the film, the production quality of the film is above par.
For the courage to tackle big social issues that remain even today, in a naturist context, I give Unashamed A Romance a big thumbs up. After all the naked frolicking, eating, laughter, and fun in the sun this film does a remarkable job of showing that ultimately naturists are human beings.
The film is currently available for viewing on Apple TV and Plex for free or can be purchased on DVD streaming from Amazon. Using the link will support this web site. Don’t forget to bare your thought in a rating, comment or review after you have watched the movie.
