Girls (3 Stars)

This is a French coming-of-age drama made in 1980. It was directed by Just Jaeckin, best known for making the controversial film "Emmanuelle" in 1974. The soundtrack was written by Eric Stewart of 10cc, who supposedly appears as a cameo, but I wasn't able to spot him. There's a group performing in the film, so it's possible he appeared as one of the musicians.

The film is about four teenage girls who live in Paris: Catherine, Annie and the sisters Suzanne and Betty. The first three work, while Betty, the youngest, is still at school. They're close friends, but for some reason Catherine and Suzanne lie to the others about their work. Catherine is a seamstress, but she tells the others she's a stewardess. Suzanne is a receptionist at the university, but she tells the others, even her sister, that she's a student.

The main interest of the girls is boys. Obviously. It's all good fun. Teasing, flirting, dancing. Betty is the one who takes it too far. She sleeps with Jerome, the projectionist from the local cinema. She starts taking the pill the next day, but it's too late. She's already pregnant. When she sees Jerome kissing another girl she decides to get an abortion. She's only 15, so she needs her parents' consent. No problem. It's easy to forge a signature. The real problem is the cost. An abortion costs 4000 Francs in Paris. That would be $14,000 today.

The girls can't even gather 1000 Francs between them, so they use their initiative. They go to exclusive night clubs and pick up rich businessmen. They pick their pockets and run away before too much is expected of them.

This is Betty with Jerome outside the cinema. The smile says everything. She's in love.

Jerome at work. He has his eyes on other women.

Not just his eyes. (By the way, that's his boss).

Betty's friends take revenge on him. They burst into the projection booth during a film and attack him.

When his boss comes in to find out why the film has stopped, she finds Jerome on the floor, unable to work.

"But they attacked me!" 

That's not what it looks like.

Jerome loses his job. It's not much of a punishment for what he did to Betty, but it's better than nothing.

"Girls" is an interesting film which attempts to give an important message, but it takes a long time to get round to it. The first half of the film with the dancing and dating is dull. I was impatient for something to start happening.

Eric Stewart's first solo album was the soundtrack from "Girls". It's only been released on vinyl until now. The cover is strange. Eric Stewart is shown holding one of the girls in the palm of his hands. It looks like he's objectifying her. Or is he worshipping her? That's not what it looks like. Whatever it is, I don't like the picture.