Murmur of the Heart (1971)

The skinternational flick Murmur of the Heart (1971) — not to be confused with the Hong Kong-Taiwanese pic Murmur of the Hearts (2015) — is one of the most sweetly whacked out dramedies ever committed to celluloid. Also known as Le Souffle au coeur, Louis Malle’s semi-autobiography will give you a semi as it follows a bourgeois teen’s eternal quest to score. When he’s not shoplifting and indulging in his dad’s cigars, Laurent Chevalier (Benoît Ferreux) kisses girls and angles to be included in his brothers’ brothel excursions. During one of these trips, the youngster experiences coitus interruptus when his siblings abruptly tear him away from the friendly Fräulein Freda (Gila von Weitershausen). Since she was willing to deflower the bud, the topless tart slaps the intruders on the heads. You’ll be slapping your head too when you watch her bare breasts bounce! If that’s not arousing enough, we get to see Lea Massari’s raw rump! As Laurent’s mother Clara Chevalier, the gorgeous MILF flashes her back as she takes a bath while her son spies on her. Quick, get a towel! Of course, it goes without saying that this arthouse pic was a favorite with moviegoers, reviewers, and filmmakers. Both Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach cite it as a huge influence. Malle’s script even placed third with the National Society of Film Critics. Yet the nudity in this movie makes it number one to Mr. Skin. In other words, here’s a coming of age film that will make audience members come!