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Open marriage, Copenhagen style: desire, boundaries, and the sexual revolution collide.

DEAR IRENE

1971 · 01:42:00 · NR · Drama · IMDB TMDB

Ebbe has lost his job and is in love with Irene. Irene is married. Her husband accepts her other relationships, and she takes full advantage, even with other women. Ebbe is desperate to have Irene fully and completely.

Quick Answer
What is Dear Irene about?

Dear Irene is a 1971 Danish drama film directed by Christian Braad Thomsen about Ebbe, who has lost his job and is desperately in love with Irene—a married woman whose open marriage tests the limits of desire and fidelity.

Key Facts
Director
Christian Braad Thomsen
Writers
Mette Knudsen, Christian Braad Thomsen
Release
1971
Runtime
1h 42m
Country
Denmark
Language
Danish
Genres
Drama
Also Known As
Dear Irene, Sevgili Irene, Original title: Kære Irene

The SassyFlix Take

If you're looking for a candid snapshot of Denmark's sexual revolution, Dear Irene delivers—complete with wife swapping, open marriages, and more nudity than you can shake a spin-the-bottle at. Christian Braad Thomsen crafts a drama where social commentary and free love collide, exposing the messy realities beneath the era's liberated surface.
From the Vault

From the era when Danish cinema really meant 'adults only.'

Why Watch It

Sexual Revolution Drama

Set against the backdrop of early-70s Denmark, the film tackles open marriage, wife swapping, and the complexities of free love.

Candid Nudity

Expect unapologetic depictions of intimacy, featuring male and female full frontal nudity, in keeping with its era's raw realism.

Copenhagen Counterculture

Family relationships, abortion, and unemployment all come into play in a very Danish, very 1971 setting.

Unconventional Romantic Triangle

Follow Ebbe’s desperation for Irene, who juggles marriage, motherhood, and multiple lovers with her husband's uneasy approval.

About This Film

Ebbe is not having the best of luck. He has lost his job, and he is in love with Irene, who won't sleep with him. Irene is married and has a young child, but her husband accepts her other relationships, and she takes full advantage, even with other women. Ebbe, on the other hand, is desperate to have Irene fully and completely.

Also Known As

Dear Irene, Sevgili Irene, Original title: Kære Irene

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dear Irene about? +

Dear Irene follows Ebbe, an unemployed man hopelessly in love with Irene, a married woman exploring open relationships in 1970s Denmark.

When was Dear Irene released? +

Dear Irene was released in 1971.

Who directed Dear Irene? +

Dear Irene was directed by Christian Braad Thomsen.

How long is Dear Irene? +

Dear Irene has a runtime of 102 minutes.

What genre is Dear Irene? +

Dear Irene is a drama.

Where can I watch Dear Irene? +

Dear Irene is available to stream on SassyFlix.