Lilith Likes to Watch - The Story of Joanna

Title: The Story of Joanna Year: 1975 Starring: Jamie Gillis, Terri Hall, Zebedy Colt Director: Gerard Damiano Synopsis: A millionaire begins a sadomasochistic relationship with a naive young woman. - Via IMDB Lilith's Notes: The debut of Terri Hall, directed by the director of classic pornos, Deep Throat and Devil in Mrs. Jones

"Every hole I have has been used. What's your specialty, ground glass in my douche?"

Marketing can be a powerful thing. While browsing around for what next to review, I came upon the striking poster for The Story of Joanna. I did a little bit of investigating and learned Zebedy Colt was in this film so instantly It was slotted in as the next watch.

The Story of Joanna is the typical tale of a rich, powerful man who wants to own his own naive fuckpuppet and punching bag. It has the same problems 50 Shades, The Opening of Misty Beethoven, and The Image have. They're not tales of BDSM, they're stories of sexual slavery, of breaking people, it's not a sex fantasy, it's an abuse fantasy.

Joanna, for some reason that I cannot discern, loves the wealthy Jason, but he tells her he can't love her, but he will fuck her, isn't that nice of him? Because she loves him for no reason other than, maybe because he's rich, she agrees to submit herself to just being, and I quote, a cunt.

Jason abuses Joanna despite her protests. It's never a give and take between the two, she's begging for his love, not his pain or dominance, while he canes her, presuming it'll get her off.

Fortunately, Joanna is played by Terri Hall, a mistress of physicality as I had mentioned in my reviews of Through the Looking Glass and The Devil Inside Her. There's something she's able to do with her neck and shoulders that balances the line between fragile and obscene. It's a skill she has in this early performance of hers.

Then, of course, there's Zebedy Colt, playing the role of Griffin, Jason's ever faithful butler. Jason sends Griffin to pleasure Joanna and it by far the best erotic scene in the entire film. It's soft and gentle and caring. Afterward, Jason punishes Joanna for it.

The maid tends to Joanna's bruises and the two women pleasure each other in a scene almost as good as the Griffin/Joanna scene. There's also a sexy, clever dream sequence where Joanna is floating in black with disembodied hands reaching and roaming all over her body. These scenes feel like a different director took over.

Griffin gives Jason a massage, and blows him tenderly while Jason mentions he wants to make a spectacle of his own death.

Griffin shaves Joanna, and powder puffs her pussy and I flailed because that is fucking adorable and I love it. I'm a simple woman with simple joys.

Then, Griffin starts to haphazardly cut Joanna's hair and neither seem pleased by this. Griffin even pauses to have a tiny breakdown that's over in 2 seconds.  Joanna is dressed, and goes to Jason, who hands her a gun.

Joanna accepts the gun and starts to point the barrel under her chin without question. Jason takes the barrel, points it at himself and wraps his lips around it. Joanna pulls the trigger, tells Griffin to "get rid of that" and something about dinner.

That's it. That's the end. Joanna doesn't question any of it, but somehow becomes a cold bitch at the end?

The movie needed a final scene, where Griffin hands Joanna a letter from Jason, explaining that he couldn't love her because he was dying, but he appreciated her time, and attention, and says thank you and gives her all he owns. Something that explains to Joanna why she went through what she went through, something that provides closure.

This movie wants to be Misty Beethoven without the nuance, and even Misty's nuance was rather opaque. But when it's good, it's good and I'm happy. Giddy even. But that's all on the charisma of Colt and the scooped shoulders of Hall.

LILITH'S SCORE: 3.5/5

NEXT TIME: Why stop at one Zebedy Colt film? Next time, Zebedy plays a rapist-murderer in Sex Wish.