Nana, the True Key of Pleasure

Nana, the True Key of Pleasure (Italian: Nana: La vera chiave del piacere) is a 1983 English-language Italian comedy drama film loosely directed by Dan Wolman based on Émile Zola's 1880 novel Nana. The music is by Ennio Morricone. The film was produced by Yoram Globus and Menahem Golan.

Nana, the True Key of Pleasure
Promotional poster
Directed by	Dan Wolman
Written by	Marc Behm
Based on	Nana by Émile Zola
Produced by	Yoram Globus Menahem Golan
Starring	Katya Berger Jean-Pierre Aumont Mandy Rice-Davies Debra Berger Shirin Taylor Yehuda Efroni Paul Muller
Cinematography	Armando Nannuzzi
Edited by	Ursula West
Music by	Ennio Morricone
Production company	The Cannon Group
Release date	April 1983 (1983-04) (U.S.)
Running time	92 minutes
Countries	Italy United States
Language	English

Plot

Winsome Nana performs as an attraction in the magic show of Mellies the magician at the Minotaure, including in erotic shadow play and "moving photographs". She afterwards puts in work as a prostitute. Zoe acts as her confidante and chambermaid. Many rich and influential men are besotted by Nana's youthful beauty and want to make her their own. The banker Steiner buys her a house, but she soon throws him out and uses it to pursue her business.

At one point, Nana hosts an erotic hunt for her guests, who can watch through looking glasses a real-life pornographic show unfold itself before their eyes. She also engages in a lesbian encounter with Satin, one of the female customers at the Minotaure. Count Muffat as well as his son Hector are equally besotted by Nana. When she is introduced to the prizefighter Bijou, she gets Muffat to sponsor him; Bijou is killed in a fight to the death, the count is ruined, and eventually, he and his family are evicted from their residence by Steiner the banker who has rigged the fight.

When Muffat complains to Nana about his ruin, she reveals to him that his wife has been cheating on him with Faucherie, an intrigue which she has previously arranged, and the men fight each other in a duel. Nana then ruins the wedding of young Hector Muffat when she elopes with him in a horse-drawn carriage. Eventually, however, there is honour among thieves: Muffat becomes minister of the interior, sponsored by Faucherie, and Nana leaves in a hot air balloon for India to meditate - taking yet another beau along for the ride.

Cast

• Katya Berger as Nana
• Shirin Taylor as Zoe, Nana's maid
• Jean-Pierre Aumont as comte de Muffat (count Muffat)
• Mandy Rice-Davies as Sabine, comtesse de Muffat
• Marcus Beresford as Hector Muffat
• Yehuda Efroni as Steiner, the banker
• Massimo Serato as Faucherie, journalist for Le Figaro
• Annie Belle as Rennée de Chéselles, fiancée of Hector
• Debra Berger as Satin
• Paul Muller as Xavier
• Tom Felleghy as Mellies the magician

External links

• Nana, the True Key of Pleasure at IMDb
• Nana, the True Key of Pleasure at Rotten Tomatoes
• Nana, the True Key of Pleasure at AllMovie