Adapted from his own novel of the same name, Alberto Vázquez Figueroa’s writings also provided the basis for several pictures including Antonio Isasi’s A DOG CALLED… VENGEANCE (1977), Richard Fleischer’s ASHANTI (1979), and Enzo G. Castellari’s TUAREG THE DESERT WARRIOR (1984), to name but a few. Undoubtedly one of the more obscure films based on Figueroa’s work, Sergio Garrone’s THE LAST HAREM (1981) boasts ex-James Bond star George Lazenby and the always magnetic Corinne Cléry under the direction of a man better known to Euro exploitation fans for helming economical spaghetti westerns, and a pair of outrageous Naziploitation pictures. Although on the slow-moving side, the film’s interesting giallo-styled framework not only features an attractive cast, but also re-emphasizes Figueroa’s love of adventure, exotic locales, and far-off cultures.
Bookended by a rather nondescript TV program (akin to a no-budget version of Robin Leach’s Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous television show, 1984-1995), which, in typical cost-cutting fashion, handily provides the necessary background information on the film’s title character, Prince Almalarik (George Lazenby). According to our enthusiastic hosts (played by busy English voice talent actors Larry Dolgin and Pat Starke), this “Arab potentate” is perhaps best known for his “clever manipulations” in the world of international finance, but they also jokingly refer to him as the “Arabian Don Juan” and a “big swinger among the jet-set society.” Despite Almalarik’s protestations that he is a “good Arab”, his uncle (an uncredited Gérard Tichy) and current King of this unspecified middle-eastern country, is displeased at all the unwanted attention his nephew receives in the press, especially in regards to his harem. When Almalarik finds his newest and favourite wife Sara (Cléry) murdered, suspicions fall on the other wives, which heralds the start of a plot to reveal the killer, complete with out-of-sequence flashbacks and enough red herrings to fill three giallo murder thrillers.
An odd, languorously paced film, this is quite a departure for director Garrone, who eschews the grittier coarseness of his earlier pictures in favour of a glossy, stylized sheen more in common with Italian sex pics and erotic thrillers of a decade later. Highlighted by an impressive roster of Eurocult regulars (which also includes Mirta Miller, Daniela Poggi, María Kosty, Ursula Buchfellner, Adriana Vega, and uncredited bit parts from Marina Frajese and Aldo Sambrell), who are brimming with bitterness, jealousies, and lots of suspicious glances, THE LAST HAREM attempts to propel its narrative on careful plot and dialogue (“Life in the harem is only good for the sheik!”), which strives to fabricate psychological rationale for most of the characters’ behaviour, but unfortunately, none of it generates the necessary – and much-needed – tension. Elsewhere too, Garrone’s directorial control is not so much leisurely as utterly indifferent, even when occasionally enlivened by frequent nudity and some nice location shooting in the deserts of Almería, which double for the middle-east.
Having first gained recognition in Just Jaeckin’s S&M melodrama THE STORY OF O (1975), Corinne Cléry is ideally cast in the role of Sara, Prince Almalarik’s newest conquest. Even though she is regarded as nothing more than a personal possession, her character still radiates ample sensuality and confidence (“She was the mistress of everything and everyone!”), which she uses to her benefit as she cleverly insinuates herself into Almalarik’s flared slacks. Portraying Lazenby’s first onscreen wife, the sultry Mirta Miller (also seen in more than a few Spanish horror films such as Javier Aguirre’s COUNT DRACULA’S GREAT LOVE [1973]) whose dark eyes shimmer like luminous moonlit pools, also puts in an affecting performance and is among the film’s more believable characters. Having previously appeared in Aldo Lado’s superb giallo WHO SAW HER DIE? (1972), Lazenby returns to Italy for some fast pasta money in what turns out to be one of his most obscure roles. Ruling with an iron-fist couched inside a velvet glove, Lazenby commits himself to the role of the self-centered prince who eventually drives home the script’s token messages – and recurrent motifs in most of Figueroa’s work - of greed and forgiveness.
Currently unavailable on North American disc, THE LAST HAREM was released on Japanese Blu-ray in 2024 through Anec, and even though no source is listed on the packaging, their “HD remaster” herein is excellent, which features solid black levels, fairly bold colours, and lots of appropriately warm flesh tones, which look especially pleasing in many of the film’s languid, slow-motion sex scenes. Also, unlike the earlier Japanese VHS videocassette from Tokuma, which blurred all below-the-waist nudity, Anec’s new Blu-ray is completely uncensored. Given the film’s customary post-dubbing (Lazenby’s lines were provided by English voice artist Robert Sommer), the LPCM English 1.0 mono audio also sounds fine, and draws attention to Stelvio Cipriani’s laid-back score, which perfectly encapsulates the film’s often pensive atmosphere. The only extra included on Anec’s disc is the film’s English-language export trailer (2m47s), which includes a few snippets of footage and alternate takes not seen in the finished film.
Although most viewers may find themselves lulled to sleep by its surplus of talky drama, THE LAST HAREM is ultimately salvaged by the film’s good-looking cast and abundant nudity, and shall forever remain an interesting, if flawed, blip in the eccentric career of George Lazenby. Order the Blu-ray from Amazon Japan.
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