Drama Cult Classic

Victorian passions simmer as a young aristocrat shelters a mysterious runaway with secrets of her own.

LADY LIBERTINE

Q: What is Lady Libertine about?

Lady Libertine is about a young aristocrat who takes in a runaway boy—unaware the boy is really a woman in disguise—and the sensual, transformative journey that follows.

1984 · 1h 23m · R · Drama / Romance · IMDB TMDB

Charlie, a young aristocrat in turn of the century England, meets a boy named Frank on the road to Portsmouth. What Charlie doesn't realize is that Frank is actually Frances, who's donned a disguise to escape working at a brothel. Charlie takes Frank/Frances into his home, and when he discovers her true identity, the two become lovers.

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Quick Answer

What is Lady Libertine about?

Lady Libertine is a 1984 Canada/France/USA drama-romance film directed by Gérard Kikoïne about a young aristocrat who discovers that the runaway boy he has taken in is actually a woman in disguise.

Programmer's Pick

If you like your costume dramas with a transgressive twist, Lady Libertine delivers saucy Victorian intrigue and more ruffled petticoats than a London haberdashery. Gérard Kikoïne leans into the naughtiness of gender disguise and forbidden education—don't expect just tea and virtue.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Set in turn-of-the-century England and based on a famous Victorian erotic novel, Lady Libertine tells the story of Charlie, a young aristocrat who encounters Frank, a boy fleeing a grim fate at a brothel. Charlie, unaware of Frank's true identity, offers protection and brings this runaway into his home. The narrative pivots on gender disguise, as Frank is actually Frances, a young woman concealing herself to escape exploitation. The film explores themes of erotic awakening and self-discovery as Charlie's initial act of kindness uncovers layered secrets and forbidden desires. With its period setting and frank approach to sensuality, Lady Libertine stands out as an erotic drama with a literary pedigree.

Details & Specs

Director: Gérard Kikoïne
Writers: Gérard Kikoïne, Harry Alan Towers
Release: 1984
Runtime: 1h 23m
Country: Canada, France, United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Drama, Romance
Also Known As: Frank & I, Frank and I, Frank et moi, Die Karriere der Francis B.

Why This Matters

This Playboy-backed adaptation of a 1902 Victorian novel stands out for its unusually high production values for the genre, including elaborate period costumes and sets, and drew additional attention when French actress Sophie Favier unsuccessfully attempted to block its release.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Gérard Kikoïne Writers: Gérard Kikoïne +1 more

Christopher Pearson Charles de Beaumont

Jennifer Inch Frank / Frances Holmes

Sophie Favier Maud Collins

Emmanuel Karsen Jeffrey Brook AD Alain Dumaurier Comte Ricky von Harmstorf AH April Hyde Leslie

Eloïse Beaune Miss Dundas JV Jane Val Mrs. Evans JF Jacques Ferry Watson GS Georges Saint-Yves Un homme ivre(uncredited)

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Erotica Erotic Female Rear Nudity Female Topless Nudity Female Full Frontal Nudity Sex Scene Based On Novel Female Pubic Hair Erotica Softcore 19th Century Doggystyle Sex Spanking Breast Sucking Hairy Vulva Gender Disguise female genital nudity Close Up Of A Woman's Bare Butt