| Fanny Hill | |
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| Screenplay: | Robert Hill |
| Starring: | |
| Cinematography: | Heinz Hölscher |
| Editing: | Alfred Srp |
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| Language: | English/German |
| Gross: | $1 million net[1] |
Fanny Hill is a 1964 American – West German historical comedy film directed by Russ Meyer and starring Letícia Román, Miriam Hopkins and Ulli Lommel.[2] Filmed at the Spandau Studios in Berlin, the film is an adaptation of the 1748 John Cleland novel of the same name.
Young, pretty and innocent Fanny Hill has lost her parents and must find her way in life amidst the perils of turbulent 18th-century London. She is lucky enough to quickly find a place as a waitress for the effusive Mrs. Brown. Mrs. Brown lives in a big house full of women in negligees and with very relaxed manners. She also insists that Fanny meet various gentlemen who show a fervent interest in Fanny.
Russ Meyer was hired to make the film by Albert Zugsmith. This was his first time directing a film without also being its producer. According to Roger Ebert, Meyer "found Zugsmith difficult to work with, the German backers of the film unreliable, and the shooting conditions all but impossible."[3]
"The only thing that got me through at all," said Meyer, "was working with Miriam Hopkins, who was our star. The two of us pulled that picture through somehow. I told her once that it was remarkable how much she knew about making a picture, and she reminded me that, after all, she had once been married to Fritz Lang."[3] (It was actually Anatole Litvak.)
While in Europe, Meyer made Europe in the Raw immediately afterwards.[3]