Unashamed: A Romance / Elysia (Valley of the Nude)

FORBIDDEN FRUIT: THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE EXPLOITATION PICTURE    Volume 3

In an unusual reversal of the usual exploitation formula—in which scenes of sex, violence, and drug abuse were wrapped in a dire warning of moral degradation—the nudist film took a more positive approach to its subject matter. Arguing for the health benefits of sunlight and the detrimental effects of constrictive clothing, films such as Unashamed: A Romance and Elysia (Valley of the Nude) presented nudism as a positive lifestyle choice, and proved their point with only slightly unobstructed views of naked flesh. But more surprising than the nudity is that Unashamed reveals itself to be a remarkably poignant drama about the unrequited love between a mixed-race woman (Rae Kidd) and her employer (Robert Stanley).