Lesser titles from porn's Golden Age (which ended around 1983) have fallen by the wayside but COUNTRY COMFORT is a representative example of the routine craftsmanship that no longer exists. By comparison with XXX releases of the last couple of decades its quality is mind-boggling.
That's because then as now, Adult filmmakers were not swinging for the fences every time at bat. It was rare to attempt a breakthrough masterwork like DEVIL IN MISS JONES or OPENING OF MISTY BEETHOVEN. Paralleling the fabulous studio factory system of Hollywood in the '30s, porn in the '70s/early '80s had a stable of talented performers and the object was to crank out as many vehicles for them as hours in the day would permit.
COUNTRY COMFORT stars Geogina Spelvin as a matriarch with two daughters, Rhonda Jo Petty and young and fresh Ginger (not Ginger Lynn but resembling her and even younger looking - but who never made the big time). Also on the homestead is Drea (the future director), a daughter-in-law whose hubby is off fighting the Civil War.
Lightly comedic plot involves a stud who arrives there and takes over the place, not unlike (but far less melodramatic) than Clint Eastwood's arrival in the hen house of his great (but disliked by the public) Don Siegel film THE BELOVED. Randy West is excellent in this role, balancing unsympathetic macho attitudes well-suited to the time with his own infectious screen personality.
Competing with him to be cock of the walk is the family's young handyman played by Tommy La Roc, a forgotten player who has a good presence and briefly starred for Ann Perry around this time.
Typical of the movie's corn-pone shenanigans is a cat-fight between Drea and Rhonda Jo over who will get possession of the bull (Randy). Needless to say, ma Georgina has a say over which of the cast members will live happily ever after bedding down with West. Finale is quite amusing as Drea's sudden penchant for weird foods has the rest of the cast yelling in unison "Oh, No!".
Quality photography is credited to Joe Barr, who might be the great director Joe Bardo -no evidence to support this. Filmmaker Bob Augustus is a quality director, still unsung. Amusingly, the film won a local trade award (they're never of any importance) for costumes - sort of a left-handed compliment in porn circles.
