Maraschino Cherry (film)

Maraschino Cherry is an American hardcore pornographic film and comedy released in 1978. The film was directed by Radley Metzger (as "Henry Paris") and filmed in several locations in New York City;    it was his fifth and final hardcore film.

Plot
Maraschino Cherry (Gloria Leonard), the owner of a high-class escort service in New York City, teaches her younger sister, Penny Cherry (Jenny Baxter), about the business. The two sisters reflect on a series of erotic episodes related to the service and its clients, replete with humorous puns and innuendos.

Cast

 * Gloria Leonard as Maraschino "Mara" Cherry
 * Jenny Baxter as Penny Cherry, Maraschino Cherry's younger sister
 * Lesllie Bovee as Maraschino's personal assistant
 * Annette Haven as the Piano Bar Girl
 * C. J. Laing as a Slave
 * Constance Money as an Escort
 * Eric Edwards as a Client
 * Michael Gaunt as a Client
 * Susan McBain as an Escort
 * Wade Nichols as a Boyfriend

Background
Maraschino Cherry was released during the Golden Age of Porn (inaugurated by the 1969 release of Andy Warhol Blue Movie) in the United States, at a time of "porno chic", in which adult erotic films were just beginning to be widely released, publicly discussed by celebrities (like Johnny Carson and Bob Hope) and taken seriously by film critics (like Roger Ebert).

Reception
One film reviewer notes that "[Maraschino Cherry] may not be [Metzger's] finest moment", but that it is "... still a beautifully shot film ... the dialogue is well written, the humor genuinely funny ...". Another reviewer writes, "Most of Metzger’s films are known for their offbeat humor and witty dialog. Maraschino Cherry is filled [with] many amusing comedy set pieces ...".

Remastered version
In 2009, DistribPix released a complete remastering of the film, with the full cooperation of the director. The result had a limited exhibition in theaters, but the main outcome of the project was the first-ever official remastered DVD version. A listing of the music on the film soundtrack was released earlier.