The Devil in Miss Jones, Part 2 (1982)

Hard to imagine in these sequel-infested times that it took more than a decade for a follow-up to Gerard Damiano’s seminal Devil in Miss Jones to materialize. An even bigger surprise perhaps is that this second installment, albeit radically different in tone, matches its illustrious predecessor every step of the way. Director Ron Sullivan aka the late “Henri Pachard” boldly exchanged Damiano’s brooding existentialism for a far more lighthearted approach which turned out to be a veritable stroke of genius, gently poking fun at without ridiculing the sacred cow whose footsteps it followed.

Justine Jones (a welcome return of seasoned Georgina Spelvin at the twilight of a distinguished dirty movie career) has been in hell for quite some time now and is none too thrilled about it, especially since Lucifer (gay porn legend Jack Wrangler from Joe Gage’s Kansas City Trucking Co. lured to the straight side by fellow fag filmmaker Chuck Vincent for his superior 1979 romcom Jack ‘n Jill) and his devious attorney (Robert Bolla) have ordered a complete ban on orgasms ! While there’s unlimited schtupping wherever you look, no one is legally allowed to reach climax. Every time someone’s on the brink of coming, head office is alerted and the offender has to answer for his or her illegal actions ! This crisis forces Justine to get off in unusual ways, like humping the sizable proboscis of Cyrano De Bergerac (Alan Adrian in what must surely have been his oddest adult film appearance ever), producing an indelible image which undoubtedly inspired the early ’90s prosthetic sex epics of Paul Norman (Edward Penishands, Hunchback of the Notre Dame, Cyrano, natch !).

By employing her well-honed feminine wiles, Miss Jones seduces the reluctant Lucifer (“Don’t call me Lucy !“) and blackmails him into sending her back to earth in another body. Candidate recipients for Justine’s wicked soul include callgirl Roxanne (a supremely sophisticated Jacqueline Lorians), bumbling girl soldier Private Parts (Joanna Storm) and outwardly prim ‘n’ proper Tupperware saleslady Eve Schwartz (Anna Ventura, one of Svetlana’s original Bad Girls).  There’s a lot to be said for every single one of them but the devil and his minions mischievously sabotage their selection at every turn.  Nun Samantha Fox is briefly considered but quickly nixed when the Big Guy Upstairs has his say about it !  He orders the lovestruck Lucifer to return Justine’s restless spirit to Roxanne’s curvaceous corpus and be done with it.  Still, the heart wants what it wants and the presence in Hades of Limey aristo “Eddie“, the former Duke of Windsor who forsake his throne for American divorcee Wallis Simpson, plants the idea in Lucy’s head that he might as well abdicate.

Sullivan’s finest films all have the advantage of genuine wit, never slipping into vulgarity, something of a jawdropping rarity in adult. This delightfully diabolical screwball comedy proves no exception. Inspired dialogue, filled with naughty double entendres, is delivered in rapid fire fashion. This enhances the pleasure to be derived from this first-rate sex farce with subtle references to Hollywood classics like Here Comes Mr. Jordan and the Ernst Lubitsch version of Heaven Can Wait. The uniformly splendid cast is up to the task. Spelvin’s always great to see and the years had been kind just before she packed up and quit fuck flicks, though she’s ultimately not in the movie that much, at least not physically.  Rightfully, this should have been her farewell performance though she unfortunately followed it with Kemal Horulu’s dreary When She Was Bad.  Most of DMJII‘s weight rests on the strong shoulders of the wonderful Wrangler whose wryly funny characterization of the constantly bewildered Lucifer even overshadows Bolla’s deliciously devious turn as his less than trustworthy adviser and this is one actor unaccustomed to being surpassed. Sharons Kane and Mitchell appear in the infernal interlinking segments, Kane as a giggling harpy with literal dickhead Ron Jeremy and Mitch looking positively radiant as Marie Antoinette, even though her Egyptian profile suggests the perfect Cleopatra, played here by Dena Ferrara instead, a career high for the minor league starlet who briefly appeared in Sullivan’s underrated The Widespread Scandals of Lydia Lace and as one of the curious typing pool tarts besieging feeble-hearted Michael Knight in Shaun Costello’s sorry swansong Heaven’s Touch.

Sex simmers pleasantly from start to finish, nothing too hot ‘n’ heavy mind you yet perfect for the friskier contingent of the couples crowd. Spelvin once again shows how it should be done in her one big scene with the perplexed horned (and horny) one but none of her more youthful incarnations let the side down either exactly.  If Jacqueline and Joanna’s encounters are mostly milked for laughs, then awesome Anna (with delectable extra cushion for the pushin’) really turns up the heat with George Payne.  The glowing cinematography by erstwhile Chuck Vincent protégé Larry Revene, already established as a highly competent director in his own right as evidenced by Sizzle, Fascination and Wanda Whips Wall Street, creatively complements the heady brew of lust and laughter, making the most out of the underworld’s deliberately grotesque set design satirizing the visual overkill in arthouse darling Fellini’s kitsch classic Satyricon.

Directed by Ron Sullivan (as Henri Pachard). Written by Sullivan (as Pachard) & Ellie Howard. Produced by James Bochis for Nibo Films. Photographed by Larry Revene. Music by Barry Levitt. Edited by Ted Ryan. Starring Georgina Spelvin (Justine Jones), Jack Wrangler (Lucifer), Robert Bolla (Devil’s Advocate), Jacqueline Lorians (Roxanne), Joanna Storm (Private Parts), Anna Ventura (Eve Schwartz), Bobby Astyr (Arnold), Sharon Mitchell (Marie Antoinette), Michael Bruce (Army Captain), Dena Ferrara (Cleopatra), Ron Jeremy (Iago the Guard), Alan Adrian (Cyrano de Bergerac), George Payne (Lance), Joey Silvera (Roxanne’s Final John), Ashley Moore (Sheik), Samantha Fox (Sister Angela), Merle Michaels (Nurse), Sharon Kane (Laughing Woman), Kurt Mann (Devil’s Assistant), Adam De Haven (Beautician), Chuck Vincent (as Mark Ubell) (Sheik’s Bodyguard), Henri Pachard (Sergeant), Cami Graham (Senile Woman), John Henninger (Eddie, Duke of Windsor) and Joey Santini (Soldier in Shower). Running time : 83 minutes.

Stupendously sensual Jacqueline Lorians effortlessly makes the shortlist for Justine Jones’s body swap as worth every penny highpriced callgirl Roxanne

By Dries Vermeulen