Jess Franco has almost 200 directorial credits to his name, so with that in mind; it's not surprising that the vast majority of them are rubbish. Jess Franco certainly does know how to make a bad movie, but clearly he knows his way around a good one too, and while they're in a minority in the man's vast filmography; there are some very good Jess Franco films, and Eugenie de Sade is one of the very best of them! This is one of seven films that Franco directed in 1970 (the second titled 'Eugenie', no less) and it's a film that could almost be considered a shame; because it proves that Franco can be great if he put his mind to it, and I'd rather have ten films like than a hundred cheap and rushed sex flicks. Anyway, the main focus of the plot is the title character; Eugenie is a young girl who falls in love with her stepfather Albert; a writer of erotic fiction, after reading one of his books. It's not long before he notices and despite the incestuous implications of their relationship, he entices Eugenie to join him in his sick sex games that stretch into murder.
I have to admit that the main reason I was so keen to see this film was due to the fact that it stars the amazing Soledad Miranda. This actress made a number of films with Jess Franco (including two of his best, Vampiros Lesbos and She Killed in Ecstasy) and it's a real shame that she died prematurely as she was a good actress and a pleasure to watch on screen. I have not seen many of her movies unfortunately, but from the ones I have seen - she is at her best in this one. She fits in brilliantly with the sordid tone of the film and creates just the right balance between innocence and sadism. The style of the movie is very European and Franco obviously valued how important it was to ensure that the film is erotic. There are several standout scenes; the best of which sees Soledad Miranda and Paul Muller entertain an Austrian hitchhiker that they picked up in the middle of nowhere. The film is apparently based on the writings of the Marquis de Sade; not having read any of his material, I can't say how faithful it is but there is plenty of sadism in this movie. The plot is strong for the duration and Franco manages a satisfying ending too. Overall, this is among the cream of Franco's crop and comes highly recommended to all Eurocult fans!
