Casey

1971's Casey, is a sunny, silly, sexy romp of a porn film that pretty much made Cal Culver one of the first superstars of adult entertainment. Prior to appearing in this movie, Culver had been a model as well as a stage actor who worked with the likes of Ingrid Bergman. He had also appeared in the sex comedy/ thriller film, Ginger. Realizing that there was fast money to be made, Culver hitched his wagon to director Donald Crane's porn film, and a star was born.

Culver's character in the film is named Casey Donovan, and that would become his nom de porn.

Casey begins with the titular hero jerking off in bed. Actually he seems to be multi-tasking as he is watching television, reading the paper, and checking his watch while his right hand is busy wanking. Once he's had his morning orgasm, Casey heads for the bathroom where he pops a handful of vitamins, washes them down with a shot of Southern Comfort and fires up a joint; all the while singing a bastardized version of “Rose's Turn” from the musical Gypsy. If all of this sounds rather foolish, well, that's the point … and it sets the tone for most of the film.

If things aren't wacky enough, once Casey finishes his joint he is visited by his fairy godmother (Wanda Uptight – also played by Culver) who dispenses bitchy bits of wisdom as well as granting wishes.

So what is it that our golden boy desires most? “Someone to really like me”, is what he says to his fairy godmother.

That sounds honest enough, in fact it's kind of endearing. And frankly, Culver plays his horny hero with such charm that it seems to fit.

After his wish is granted, Casey is paid a visit by a jack booted thug (the unfortunately named, Sparrow Guano) who is shot only from the waist down. The mystery guest immediately makes himself comfortable in Casey's living room, undoes his pants and is treated to a quick blow job by his host. The sucking is fast and furious and once this is done, Casey turns to the camera, his face slathered in jizz, smiles devilishly and says rather sheepishly, “Protein”. If this were a sit-com, the laugh track would be cued up and ready to go.

Next we find Casey in his kitchen looking out the window with a pair of binoculars where he spies the new delivery man for the local market. Realizing that he is lucky as well as oversexed, he calls the market, makes an order and waits for delivery.

Once the delivery man arrives (a rough trade, long haired hunk played by Angelo Ware) Casey almost looks like one of those cartoon wolves with their eyes popping out of their heads when they spot a sexy girl. Immediately, he begins babbling and when the delivery guy asks, “Where do you want it?” (meaning the groceries), Casey replies, “In the kitchen … on the steps … in the Pentagon...” and after a bit of tomfoolery, the boys go at it on the floor amidst a sea of potatoes which have fallen out of a bag.

When Donovan and Ware start rocking, it's very exciting. The men seem genuinely attracted to each other and though they are acting urgently, they still kiss and manage to make the viewer believe that this is the real thing. At one point, as they are engaged in an athletic 69 session, you hear Ware proclaim briefly and loudly , “Oh man, that feels so good!” It looks good too! The sex scene goes on for at least ten minutes as the guys explore each other's bodies and suck at each other's cocks like a couple of love sick puppies until finally, they face each other, locked in a kiss while they jerk off to orgasm.

Once through, Casey is left to clean up the kitchen floor and suddenly the thug returns and throws our hero over a kitchen counter and starts to fuck him. Casey can't seem to believe his carnal luck and starts asking him a lot of questions, when he finally asks “If I was unfuckable, would you still like me?” the mystery man stops, pulls out and says, “You talk to much” and walks away leaving Casey dejected and confused.

After the days adventures, Casey's fairy godmother returns and he says to her, “No one digs anyone”, Ah hah, it seems that our hero is seeking something more than a roll in the hay … and when his godmother says to him, “Mentally you are still 12 years old”, this makes Casey rethink his wish, and he now says that he wants to find something deeper in a relationship, “I want to look in someones face and have them like what they see”.

Once more, his wish is granted … however the fairy godmother adds, “Everyone will want you, everyone will know you, everyone will like you”.

Silliness ensues as Casey runs outside scampering through a suburban neighborhood while car's drive by and people shout “Outtasite, man!” (for those of you unfamiliar with swinging 70's vernacular, outtasite was akin to referring to someone or something as “hot”).

As Casey continues his jaunt he spies a downright gorgeous young man with jet-black hair sketching in a pad. The hippie / artist (Nat Grey) wastes no time after catching Casey's eye and begins following the charmed one.

Soon the guys are chasing each other through the woods until finally they stop for a kiss and to get to know each other. And this is where Casey really shows its age; when asked his name, the hippie jots something down on his sketch pad that reads, “I'm Stephen, and I've taken a vow of silence until the war is over”. Casey replies by writing that he manufactures protest buttons, “Make love, not war!”

And make love, they do... a slow, sensual erotic dance happens next, alfresco, as the boys get inmate with each other. Of note is how absolutely beautiful Culver and Grey are, they seem to resemble two angels with demonic sexual appetites. Watch as they embrace and then suck each other off … and while the camera does go for close ups of their impressive cocks, it also shows us their faces which seem to be alive with honest emotions. When Grey has his orgasm, his gorgeous smile is almost enough to melt the most jaded viewer's heart, he's that perfect.

Of course, this movie being what it is, has to throw in another gag: done lovemaking, the boys run in slow motion to each other while Casey says in voice over, “We looked like a goddamn deodorant ad”

Happy at last, Casey and Stephen move in together and time passes … eventually though, Casey seems to be getting a bit bored with the adoration his lover bestows upon him, and one day he proposes that they add some one else to the mix. Ever eager to please, Stephen agrees and soon the delivery man is back...

Next up we discover the rough-trade deliver guy splayed out on Casey's living room floor watching a baseball game while Casey and Stephen spend time caressing his body and making goo-goo eyes at each other. Finally, the delivery guy seems turned on and a hot three way occurs with the men engaged in a daisy chain suck fest which eventually morphs into Casey getting his ass fucked by both his lover and the guest. Make no doubt about it, Culver was one of the best “bottoms” out there, and when he is getting fucked his face reveals that of a man at his most satisfied state of being.

Once the guys finish up and everyone shoots their sticky loads, the jack booted guys shows up again. However this time we see all of him. It is revealed that he is a black man with an Afro the size of Texas that crowns his head. Considering his look, I was half expecting him to spout off something about the Black Panthers; but instead he turns out to be the voice of reason explaining to Casey that he still does not really know what love is all about, and that he must trust himself, and love himself first.

With that, the man instructs our hero down to the floor, close his eyes and tells him to gently ask for what he really wants. Expecting to be ravaged by the three other men in the room, Casey says, “Fuck me, suck me, touch me” … but what's this? As Casey pleads, the men gather up their belongings and exit, leaving Casey to whimper, “Touch me, touch me” , over and over until he finally realizes that once more, he is alone.

Solo once again, Casey's fairy godmother reappears and tells him that he's blown it, and he's back to zero again; and suddenly, this happy little skin flick gets all morose with our hero lying on his bed and flipping through Stephen's drawing pad. Just before the end credits begin, Casey looks into the camera and says, “From zero to infinity and back to zero”.

It is odd that this film ends the way it does, and yet, it sort of makes sense. Like most films made in the 70's (porn or mainstream) Casey seems to suffer from a sort of mixed message. On the one hand it's a celebration of sexual liberation, while on the other it reinforces the old adage that without true love, we are nothing at all. Be that as it may, I highly recommend seeking this one out, and not just for the great sex scenes, but to witness how a little story telling and sense of humor can turn a skin flick into something with a bit more substance.