foreign film on television in the UK in the 80s?

[fearfulsymmetry]

I remember watching this film late at night on television sometime during the 80s (more likely to be early 80s than late but I'm not totally sure). I think it might have been part of a series my local ITV station at the time (Central) did of obscure, but slightly racey, films called The X Rater (which were mainly oddball foreign films and lesser spaghetti westerns).

I can't remember which language it was in but it I'm pretty sure it was northern European (so most likely French, German or Dutch). I'm pretty certain it was a 70s film but it could have been any time pre 80s. It was colour.

It was a period film - set in the early part of the 20th century or possibly late 19th. It was a coming of age comedy and fairly bawdy in tone - a Carry On / Confessions with some nudity but a bit classier.

The plot had a young man leaving his home and taking a train to spend the summer with some relatives and having various humorous encounters with a number of different women. Most of the women come onto him rather strongly and the humour comes from him being very embarrassed by this - I remember a maid back at his house, a redhead on the train, a couple of other maids at the place he is visiting (one his age one a lot older) and a rather shallow/dim blonde girl (a cousin?) who he eventually seduces. After that he gains confidence and I remember him winning a fist-fight over one of the maids when the current boyfriend catches him in her bedroom. He goes on to seduce the older maid and the redhead on the train home and the maid back at his home where the film finishes.

It definitely wasn't one of the C4 Red Triangle ones.

[RogerThornhill]

It might be this one? which is also known as What the Swedish Butler Saw.

Champagnegalopp (1975) - IMDb

[fearfulsymmetry]

It's not that... but thanks anyway.

[Moor Larkin]

All the train stuff reminds me of a movie that I think was Canadian. There was a rash of excellent Canadian tax-rebate funded movies popping up on TV back then. I suppose it might have been in French but I don't have it in my head that way - although I have a sense that dialogue was very sparse throughout. The one I'm thinking of was quite a good movie but the sex, when it was happening, was pretty hot stuff for TV back then. I think mine was probably more in the mid to late 70's however, rather than the 80's.

I've a vague notion that the woman on the train gives him the eye a lot and then..... he complies.....

[Euryale]

I think it's this - description from TV Guide website:


'ERIC SOYA'S "17" humorously but sensitively chronicles a teenager's initiation into sex. The outcome leaves the shy young man somewhat of a rake, in keeping with the Danes' often witty outlook on themselves. Soltoft is aware of his budding interest in sex and finds the family maid willing to teach him about it, but he is frightened. Later, at his uncle's cottage, he falls in love with a cousin, and they make love. When the girl returns to college, he carries on with his uncle's maid, then his housekeeper, and continues his education on the train back home when he seduces a fellow passenger. At home, the all-too-willing maid is waiting for him.

Released: 1967 Rated: NR Length: 87 mins'


E.

[CaptainWaggett]

I think it's this - description from TV Guide website:


'ERIC SOYA'S "17" humorously but sensitively chronicles a teenager's initiation into sex. The outcome leaves the shy young man somewhat of a rake, in keeping with the Danes' often witty outlook on themselves. Soltoft is aware of his budding interest in sex and finds the family maid willing to teach him about it, but he is frightened. Later, at his uncle's cottage, he falls in love with a cousin, and they make love. When the girl returns to college, he carries on with his uncle's maid, then his housekeeper, and continues his education on the train back home when he seduces a fellow passenger. At home, the all-too-willing maid is waiting for him.

Released: 1967 Rated: NR Length: 87 mins'


E.

And there was me thinking it was a rare tv outing for Smiles of a summer night

[Euryale]

And there was me thinking it was a rare tv outing for Smiles of a summer night

Oh, that would be far too esoteric for me to know!


Anyway, 17 does take place in 1913, so the poster is right about the period detail.


E.

[fearfulsymmetry]

yeah, that's definitly it. Thanks for that, been bugging me for ages.