While perhaps not as prolific as some of her contemporaries, Monica Gayle is nevertheless one of America's most fondly remembered sexploitation stars of the early Seventies, with a string of credits that includes THE EROTIC ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO, THE STEWARDESSES, STRAWBERRIES NEED RAIN, SWITCHBLADE SISTERS, and Ed Wood's TAKE IT OUT IN TRADE. A petite and very young-looking girl, Gayle epitomized the free-spirited, California hippie who was always prepared to share a little love. Here she plays a small town sexpot living a stifling existence with her alcoholic, abusive white-trash father. When he dies Sandra immediately heads off to swinging San Francisco: There she rents a small apartment from Uschi Digart (although she rejects a pass from her - silly girl!), and takes in the city sights. A trip to the cinema ends up with a horrid biker type following her home and forcing himself onto her. (Not that Sandra seems to mind much, as he leaves her lying naked on the floor, squirming in ecstasy.) She then snags a job working as a secretary for a psychoanalyst and, before long, older boss and young employee are indulging in a hot inter -office relationship. But her boyfriend from back home shows up to tell Sandra he loves her and wants her to return with him. Will she return, or stay a free-love hippie in San Francisco? A real time-capsule, SANDRA (also known as I AM SANDRA and HALF A WIFE) exudes a very dirty, downbeat atmosphere during its early scenes, although once the action moves to San Francisco it falls into the more predictable sexploitation situations. Still, there's lots of wild, inventive camera work to keep things interesting, and sweet Monica (naked more often than she is clothed here) ensures things never become dull. Director Gary Graver (an Orson Welles protégé!) puts in a couple of nice creative touches - such as the scene where Sandra catches Leonard, the local dweeb, playing with himself and subsequently catching himself in his zipper!
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