On this day August 28 1981, Private Lessons premiered in theaters. The coming of age comedy starred Sylvia Kristel as a housekeeper who becomes involved in a scheme with a chauffeur to manipulate the wealthy teenager she works for, played by Eric Brown.
The film blended risqué humor with teen fantasy in a way that sparked controversy at the time. While marketed as a lighthearted comedy, its plot involving an adult woman and a teenage boy drew criticism even during its release. Despite the backlash, the film became a surprise box office hit and gained a following on cable television throughout the 1980s.
Private Lessons stood out for its provocative content, but also for the way it tapped into the era’s shifting attitudes about youth, independence, and adult themes in teen comedies. It became one of the earliest in a wave of R rated films aimed at teenage audiences in the decade ahead.
80s insight: Private Lessons was one of the first teen films to test the boundaries of what was acceptable in mainstream comedies, setting the tone for a number of edgy teen sex comedies that followed in the 1980s.
The film blended risqué humor with teen fantasy in a way that sparked controversy at the time. While marketed as a lighthearted comedy, its plot involving an adult woman and a teenage boy drew criticism even during its release. Despite the backlash, the film became a surprise box office hit and gained a following on cable television throughout the 1980s.
Private Lessons stood out for its provocative content, but also for the way it tapped into the era’s shifting attitudes about youth, independence, and adult themes in teen comedies. It became one of the earliest in a wave of R rated films aimed at teenage audiences in the decade ahead.
80s insight: Private Lessons was one of the first teen films to test the boundaries of what was acceptable in mainstream comedies, setting the tone for a number of edgy teen sex comedies that followed in the 1980s.
