The Nine Ages of Nakedness
Encyclopedia
The Nine Ages of Nakedness is a 1969 British sex film, directed by Harrison Marks
, and also starring Marks as himself and several of his (fictional) ancestors. Originally entitled The Seven Ages of Nakedness, a title inspired by John Gielgud
’s one man show The Seven Ages of Man, in order to increase the film’s running time two more stories/ages had to be added.
The film's publicity materials claimed the film featured “150 topless international lovelies;” however, as several female cast members make repeat performances in several of the film's stories, that number might be an exaggeration.
Not long after he completed the film, Marks declared bankruptcy and sold all rights to it. The film is not owned by Marks’s estate, and the current rights owner is unknown. A DVD of the film was released in America in 2006; however, this release was unauthorized.
). Worried that his ancestors bad luck is rubbing off on him, Marks tells the psychiatrist
stories about how his ancestors have also suffered misfortune through the ages-mainly because of their involvement with nude women and ‘the arts’.
) to spend a lifetime painting the Pharaoh’s harem, symbolized by the accumulation of a powdered beard. After finally completing his masterpiece- Hubergritz accidentally knocks his pyramid home down causing himself and the girls to be buried under a hail of boulders.
.
era. While staying at the manor house of Sir Rupert (Howard Nelson), Harrison De Chandelier, a renowned painter of nudes is asked to paint a portrait of the lady of the house. Unfortunately roundhead soldiers appear at the Manor, and their leader (Max Wall
) orders the painting be destroyed and its creator put in the stocks.
This is a semi-remake of one of Marks earlier 8mm glamour films called "The Bare Truth" in which Stuart Samuels played the Max Wall role.
) to imagine himself running around naked –save for a judges wig- and ravishing one of Marko’s models. Passing sentence on the buck toothed impresario, the judge gives him a knowing wink and fines him 7’6 pence.
Marks distinct buck teeth and wig disguise in this episode was later re-used when Marks played Cornelius Clapworthy in Come Play With Me. Marks’ daughter Josephine Harrison Marks plays the baby girl in this episode, and appears visibly distressed by her fathers made-up appearance.
’s role. Footage from the “Future” sequence was also deleted, including the punch line. Clips of some of the missing footage in this story was used in the 1995 BBC documentary Doing Rude Things.
The same cut down for length version was later released on US DVD.
Harrison Marks
George Harrison Marks was a British glamour photographer and director of nudist, and later, pornographic films who was active in the fields for several decades.-Kamera and Pamela Green:...
, and also starring Marks as himself and several of his (fictional) ancestors. Originally entitled The Seven Ages of Nakedness, a title inspired by John Gielgud
John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937...
’s one man show The Seven Ages of Man, in order to increase the film’s running time two more stories/ages had to be added.
The film's publicity materials claimed the film featured “150 topless international lovelies;” however, as several female cast members make repeat performances in several of the film's stories, that number might be an exaggeration.
Not long after he completed the film, Marks declared bankruptcy and sold all rights to it. The film is not owned by Marks’s estate, and the current rights owner is unknown. A DVD of the film was released in America in 2006; however, this release was unauthorized.
The Wraparound Story
‘World famous photographer of nudes’ Harrison Marks visits an Indian Psychiatrist in Harley Street. While most male viewers imagine that Marks seems to have a dream job, his life taking pictures of naked ladies isn’t without its downside, as depicted in the slapstick opening credits in which clumsy models knock over Marks' cameras, he gets a pie in the face for trying to touch up one of his subjects, and accidentally snapping a girl in a park causes him to be chased by her boyfriend Burt (Howard NelsonHoward Nelson (actor)
Howard ‘Vanderhorn’ Nelson was an ex-champion bodybuilder who also acted in many British sex comedies. Cast in both comedy roles as well as `heavies' due to his muscular appearance, Nelson's most regular employer was close personal friend Harrison Marks. For many years Nelson worked in Marks'...
). Worried that his ancestors bad luck is rubbing off on him, Marks tells the psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
stories about how his ancestors have also suffered misfortune through the ages-mainly because of their involvement with nude women and ‘the arts’.
Story #1: "The Stone Age"
Marks’ first anecdote takes place in the prehistoric age. Sculptor ‘Harry Stone Marks’, fresh from carving Stonehenge, is employed to draw a cavewoman housewife in the nude (in slate) only to end up pelted with rocks when her husband takes a fancy to Marks’ blonde secretary.Story #2: “The Egyptian Age”
In ancient Egypt, Harrison Hubergritz a lowly Jewish slave is ordered by Pharaoh Akenaten (Julian OrchardJulian Orchard
Julian Dean C. Orchard was an English comedy actor.-Biography:Orchard was educated at Shrewsbury School and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama...
) to spend a lifetime painting the Pharaoh’s harem, symbolized by the accumulation of a powdered beard. After finally completing his masterpiece- Hubergritz accidentally knocks his pyramid home down causing himself and the girls to be buried under a hail of boulders.
Story #3: “China”
In Ancient China, the Fu-Manchu like “Ha-Ri-Son” an oriental offshoot of the Marks family, curses his wife when he finds her in the arms of the gardener. This story is narrated by the actor Charles GrayCharles Gray (actor)
Charles Gray was an English actor who was well-known for roles including the arch-villain Blofeld in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft Holmes in the Granada television series, and as The Criminologist in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show in...
.
Story #4: “Greece”
An elderly Greek scholar, who constructs nude statues, has the misfortune to fall in love with every model he meets.Story #5: “The Roundheads”
Set during the Oliver CromwellOliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
era. While staying at the manor house of Sir Rupert (Howard Nelson), Harrison De Chandelier, a renowned painter of nudes is asked to paint a portrait of the lady of the house. Unfortunately roundhead soldiers appear at the Manor, and their leader (Max Wall
Max Wall
Max Wall , was an English comedian and actor, whose performing career covered music hall, theatre, films and television.-Early years:...
) orders the painting be destroyed and its creator put in the stocks.
This is a semi-remake of one of Marks earlier 8mm glamour films called "The Bare Truth" in which Stuart Samuels played the Max Wall role.
Story #6 “The Theater”
In Victorian England, music hall impresario ‘The Great Marko’, is down on his luck. However a chance meeting with a Cockney cleaning lady -who he imagines topless- provides Marko with the idea of presenting a show based around ‘Living Statues’. A pre-striptease concept of women posing motionless in the nude. The show is a great success however on the verge of making his fortune Marko is arrested on obscenity charges. The mere mention of ‘Living Statues’ causes the Judge in charge of the case (Cardew RobinsonCardew Robinson
Douglas John Cardew Robinson was a British comic, whose craft was rooted in the music hall and Gang Shows.-Early life and career:Robinson was educated at Harrow County School for Boys...
) to imagine himself running around naked –save for a judges wig- and ravishing one of Marko’s models. Passing sentence on the buck toothed impresario, the judge gives him a knowing wink and fines him 7’6 pence.
Marks distinct buck teeth and wig disguise in this episode was later re-used when Marks played Cornelius Clapworthy in Come Play With Me. Marks’ daughter Josephine Harrison Marks plays the baby girl in this episode, and appears visibly distressed by her fathers made-up appearance.
Story #9 “The Future”
Finally Marks imagines a space age future where women dress in leather and (in the context of the sexes) also wear the trousers. Men played by the same grunting cavemen seen in the first story, are whipped and forced to grovel at the feet of the Space Leader (Monique Devereaux). This is the only story in which Marks does not feature in one of the roles.Alternative Versions
The film was released on UK video three times during the early 1980s, the video releases contained a more explicit version of the film than had been shown in cinemas in the late sixties. However this version was also cut for length, reducing the running time from 95 minutes to 84 minutes. Omitted completely was the “Old Dark House” story as well as Rita WebbRita Webb
Rita Webb was an English character actress, mainly in comedy roles.Born Olive Webb in Willesden, Middlesex, England, she is best known for her appearances as a stooge for Benny Hill in his long-running Thames Television series...
’s role. Footage from the “Future” sequence was also deleted, including the punch line. Clips of some of the missing footage in this story was used in the 1995 BBC documentary Doing Rude Things.
The same cut down for length version was later released on US DVD.