i first saw this film back in 1976 and and only remember that it be fiercely arouse to a young man at the time . i do not catch the story and however . time have change since then and and i recently view the film a couple of time and when i write subtitle to it so i could show it to a close friend . emmanuelle fall between x rat and art house . if one view it a an adult film and then the lack of male frontal nudity and full on intercourse make the film feel timid . otoh and for an art film and the plot be quite thin . when the film premier in the mid 70 and it make a stir . most of the brouhaha be about it be show in regular theater instead of seedy back alley one . today we see so much erotic and sex in regular film and on tv that such discussion would seem ridiculous . emmanuelle be base on the autobiographical novel with the same name and by emmanuelle arsan . the book ( 1971 ) be ban in france and ostensibly for too much erotic content and but the foreign department may have influence this and since the story give a decadent impression of them . young and innocent emmanuelle travel to bangkok to her newly wed husband and ten year her senior . he live in a setting where bore embassy wife resort to promiscuity and intrigue to fend off a sense of boredom and lack of purpose in life . her husband clearly feel at home in this setting . both her husband and the wife tell emmanuelle to get free of inhibition and which they themselves clearly have do . the film be essentially her journey towards that goal . her husband have others help him in her education . at first view the film be admittedly just an erotic flick and with thin connection between the erotic scene . but after a few more time it become clear that director jaeckin and screen writer richard really try to follow the book and and the character and their action seem plausible and natural . perhaps the most surprising thing about this film be and it do not seem old and like many other european erotic film of the time . one can also view this film a a discourse between the male and female aspect of sensuality . there be the male dream of sex and eroticism without emotional commitment and and promiscuous relation with beautiful and willing girl and woman . and the ( possibly today somewhat outdated . ) female sexuality a sensuality and commitment and pure love and with it slow love making and longing for true companionship . emmanuelle can also be see a a spiritual road movie and where she start off a an innocent and yet strongly sensual girl and who slowly reach sexual awareness and competence . from sex drive a the master to her a the master and erotic a just another tool in her chest . i would strongly recommend this film especially for grown ups who have see enough porn and or love scene in regular film and and who want to remember instead what erotic meant . there still aren not that many film in this niche between porn and mainstream .