Writer of O

Ever since The Story of O was first published in Paris more than half a century ago, its mixture of sexually inflammatory subject matter and literary style has made the novel both a scandal and a cause. The tale of a woman's embrace of sadomasochistic practices as a means of pleasing her lover was printed under the pseudonym “Pauline RJage,” and the author's true identity was long debated. But four decades after the book's appearance, “RJage” was revealed by British journalist John de St. Jorre to have been Dominique Aury (1907-98), a prim, seemingly austere editor at a respected publishing house who had written the book as a means of holding the interest of her own lover (a consequential member of the Paris literary scene who happened to be married). Writer of O, from filmmaker Pola Rapaport—who claims the novel had a powerful effect on her—attempts to convey the book's impact, both literary and historical, while also painting a portrait of the woman who wrote it. To this end the director employs interviews with researchers and acquaintances, as well as snippets from a session she conducted with then 89-year old Aury, along with archival footage and historical reenactments. Rapaport also periodically inserts staged scenes from the book—usually “elegant” shots of a nude girl in bondage, posed against a red satin background, overlaid with readings from the text. Overall, Writer of O is respectful and earnest, but also curiously tepid and—unlike the novel and its author—surprisingly unadventurous. DVD extras include additional excerpts from the interview with St. Jorre. Interesting if not always compelling, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)