The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yak (5 Stars)

This is the last film I'll be watching this week in remembrance of Tawny Kitaen. Today I listened to the commentary track, recorded in 2019, in which Tawny and her co-star Brent Huff talk about the film. Amazingly, this was the first time Tawny had watched the film since it was released in 1984. How could she possibly have avoided it so long? Having such a distance from the film made the film fresh for her, and she said she was watching it as a fan, not as an actress.

In case you're not a regular reader of my blog, let me remind you that when I listen to a commentary track I turn on the subtitles. By doing this I can follow the film at the same time as listening to the commentary.

The film was made by the French director Just Jaeckin. The indoor scenes were filmed in Paris, but the outdoor scenes were filmed in Morocco, the Philippines and South France. (They've both forgotten the name of the area in France). It's amazing that Tawny and Brent were picked for the main roles in the film. At the time it was made it was the biggest budget film ever made in France. Brent Huff had only appeared in one film previously in a minor role. It was Tawny Kitaen's first film ever, so the director was taking a risk casting her in the lead role. Previously, her only acting experience was in television commercials. Just Jaeckin must have seen something that he liked, because she was the only actress considered for the role.

The film was made with a cast that was almost entirely French. Why did the director pick Americans for the two lead roles? Neither Tawny nor Brent give any clues. There's a second commentary track by Just Jaeckin himself. Maybe he can tell us the answer. This led to a strange situation when filming. Tawny and Brent spoke English, and the other actors replied to them in French. In post production two versions were made, one dubbed into French, the other dubbed into English. Tawny and Brent redubbed their own dialogue.

As is usual for a commentary track made by actors, there are many small anecdotes. The first scenes shot were in the Philippines, where they stayed three weeks. One night Tawny woke up and found her bed full of small lizards. She spent the rest of the night in Brent's room. Needless to say, he was a perfect gentleman who wouldn't have dreamt of taking advantage of her.

One thing Tawny frequently mentions is that she felt nervous about her nude scenes. At one point she sat in her dressing room for two hours while everyone was waiting to film a scene. She was amazed that the French actresses had no problem with nudity. She puts it down to the French culture being more open than the American culture. Looking back, 35 years later, she's glad that she accepted the role.

Tawny doesn't seem to have been so prude in her personal relationships. While she was in Paris she dated first Anthony Delon, the son of Alain Delon, and then Christopher Lambert. She says that she met Christopher Lambert in an elevator, and it just clicked. Whatever it was that clicked, it wasn't a deep romance, because a few years later she married David Coverdale, the vocalist with Deep Purple and Whitesnake. She always had a passion for music and felt drawn to rock stars.

After listening to the commentary track I feel that I've got to know her. She speaks very openly, baring her soul, talking about her feelings, not just about the facts of the film. Brent Huff is more reserved, not revealing as much of himself. It's a tragedy that Tawny Kitaen has died so young. I've grown to love her, and I'll look for other films that she made in her career.

Tawny Kitaen
August 5, 1961 – May 7, 2021

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