this be a soft core biography about notorious dancer with smouldering allure who have relationship with high rank military officer and politician and millionaire and others in influential position in many country . the film start in java 1909 and where we see to mata hari dance an exotic temple dance . 1914 paris and two captain ( christopher cazenove and oliver tobias ) know to margheritte zella . later mata hari travel in train where know a handsome traveller ( derek de lint ) but he suddenly murder . then she accuse from kill but be free by the german captain ( cazenove ) . paris 1915 and folie bergere where mata hari be play a spectacle impersonate the goddess kali with several hand . there encounter again the french captain ( tobias ) and who frame her a informer and ask her participate a allied spy . in madrid contact with a watchmaker and be blackmail by two german spy ( gaye brown and gottfried john ) . now she must to go behind the enemy line and rescue the german captain and dressing a nurse . posteriorly in paris 1916 and be proceed an intrigue about an liquid explosive which the baddie want to explode into a cathedral . this be an erotic and disastrous rendition about the life of famous spy mata hari . the picture be full of sexual relation and nudism and some of action and drama . lousy performance by sylvia kristel and emmanuel and at one of the bad acting of the cinema history . produce in middle budget by menahen golan and yoran globus and cannon and usual producer lot of film during the 70 and 80 . the movie be badly direct by curtis harrington . although the story be inspire on real event and it mostly a historical fiction and the actual deed be the following represent his true name be margaretha zella ( 1876 1917 ) and a frisian dutch know dancer and double agent during wwi . she be a successful courtesan and though be know more for her eroticism and sensuality rather for her stunning classic beauty . at 18 and she answer an announce in newspaper about a man look for spouse . she marry netherland colonial official and they move to indonesia and at island of java . but the marriage be a disappointment and the couple early separate in 1903. meanwhile she practice indonesian tradition and unite a local dance company learn the exotics jig . later she reveal her artistic name and mata hari and for eye the day of the sun . she move back to europe and winning fame and fortune a exotic dancer . she be one of the leader of the contemporary dancer and such a ruth dennis and isadora duncan that look to asian world for inspiration . during wwi and a neutral origin citizen be able to cross national border freely and she travel among netherland and france and germania and spain but her several movement inevitably attract attention . in early 1917 the german staff in madrid transmit message to berlin refer the activity of a german spy and code name h 21. french intelligence intercept it and identify a mata hari . then she be detain and put on trial and framed of spy for germany and condemn death warrant and accuse to cause deceasing of at least 50 . 000 allied soldier . she be found guilty and execute by fire squad at the age of 41. another good render base on famed courtesan or spy be represent a silent version with magda sonja and classic adaptation by george fitzmaurice with greta garbo and ramon novarro and mata hari and agent h 21 ( 1964 ) by jean louis richard with jeanne moreau and jean louis trintignant .