Review of Lorna (2014) by Jeff B — 31 May 2012

Jim (James Rucker) is married to Lorna (Lorna Maitland), one of director Russ Meyer's typical restless, bra-busting vixens. While Lorna scowls at home, Jim literally works in the salt mines with two leering cretins who spend most of their energy fantasizing about Lorna and resenting Jim for snaring her first. But when a macho convict (Mark Bradley) escapes from prison and comes across Lorna bathing nude in the bayou, sparks inevitably fly between the two. What will happen if Jim returns from work and catches them in the act?

"Lorna" is an early Meyer film (sorry, the breasts are in black-and-white and mostly shown from the side) and, arguably, it's his first to show some professional polish. His later humor is missing, and the only real laugh comes from a totally unnecessary shot of a cloaked "Death" figure. "The Seventh Seal," this ain't. The film does contain another example of Meyer's quirkiest trademark: the grandiose onscreen narrator. In this case, it's a stern preacher (James Griffith) who draws a parallel between this story and the Biblical tale of Lot's wife.