Combining sex and art: a review of Turkish Delight

Combining sex and art: a review of Turkish Delight

Of all Director Paul Verhoeven's Dutch films before he came to America and made such classics as Robocop, Basic Instinct, and Total Recall, his 1973 film, Turkish Delight, is among my favorites along with Katie Tippel and The Fourth Man.

Turkish Delight is an ambiguous title for this film since the film can be best described as the bittersweet dream of a rebelious sculptor's (Rutger Hauer) discovery of perfection in a young vivacious redhead (Monique van de ven) and inevitable discovery that not all things are what they seem to be on the surface. Remember this as you watch the initial montage of brutal crimes perpetrated by Eric upon Olga. Their stormy relationship begins after this in flashback, culminating in their split. But there's a lot in between that will help you to understand the context of these few details I've provided that you won't see the end coming when it does.

This is a sweet entertaining film and an excellent primer for those unfamiliar with foreign films. Very very funny at times, though often raunchy, and, as common in Verhoeven's Dutch film offerings, there are no special efforts to cover up male and female private areas. When discussions come up about the greatest actors, Hauer's name should be among them.