Turks Fruit (1973)

Netherlands 112m, Colour
Director: Paul Verhoeven; Cast: Monique van de Ven, Rutger Hauer, Tonny Huurdeman, Wim van den Brink

Turkish Delight is a dark and dysfunctional sexually explicit romance between Eric, a bohemian artist, and Olga, a free-spirited woman with a fiery disposition. Their tumultuous relationship, as seen through a prolonged flashback is precipitated by Eric’s attempts to rid himself of his deep longing for Olga though a number of somewhat disturbing sexual encounters. A perversely delightful film, the somewhat exaggerated performances of Hauer and van de Ven are somehow appropriate for this no holds barred and oddly moving melodrama (Klaus Ming November 2015).