A Father's Lust

Title:  A Father’s Lust
Studio:  Hard Candy Films
Director:  Nica Noelle
Performers:  Mark Davis, Magdalene St Michaels, April O’Neil, Heather Starlet, Lily Carter, Richie Deville

Writer/Director Nica Noelle continues to demonstrate her mastery of the story driven adult niche with her new company Hard Candy Films.  A Father’s Lust is a thoughtful and thought provoking portrait of a marriage in trouble.  It’s the story of two people who are no longer sexually compatible and whose frustration leads them into adulterous relationships.  It’s a theme drawn from real life and for some viewers the scenario may be uncomfortably familiar. 

Mark Davis and Magdalene St Michaels play the mature married couple who are having difficulties in the bedroom.  Mark complains about not having had sex for a considerable length of time and Magdalene makes excuses.  The situation is further complicated by the imminent arrival of their daughter’s (Heather Starlet) friend (Lily Carter) for an extended stay.

Mark wants to have sex with his wife, Magdalene, or so he says.  She wants to have sex, just not with him, apparently.  We learn later in the video that Mark is a driven career oriented man who is gone a lot.  Well, you can see how this might affect his marriage.  Magdalene has her own career and it seems to have consumed her as well. Each engages in acts of infidelity and, seemingly, blames the other for their sins.  Or maybe I was projecting.  This infidelity and its cause(s) is the crux of the entire plot and results in four highly erotic and eminently enjoyable sex scenes.

Mark Davis and Magdalene St Michaels are perfectly suited to play this couple; a brilliant casting move by Nica Noelle.  They are the key to this video’s success.  They carry the acting load, they are responsible for the exposition, and between them they are in three of the four sex scenes.  So, they are the movie. Fortunately for us they are more than capable of pulling this off.  I’ve seen Magdalene in dramatic roles before but this was the first time I’d seen Mark Davis in this situation (that I recall – I’m sure he must have played some dramatic adult roles prior to this).  I was impressed.  If you’re someone who FF’s through set ups automatically you’re cheating yourself if you do that here. 

I have to say that I was siding with Mark.  (Sorry Magdalene.)  He appears to be a much more sympathetic character (to me, but maybe that’s because I have testicles instead of ovaries).  Mark appears to be making an effort to save his marriage but he’s not getting much help from his wife.  Magdalene’s excuses for not having sex with her husband include “pelvic discomfort” and (apparently) menopause.  I don't want to minimize the notion that she might be telling the truth, but I wasn't convinced.  She complains that he stares at every young girl he sees.

The disagreement that began in the bedroom (as far as the video is concerned) continues the next day on the telephone.  And with every word she utters, Magdalene’s character becomes less sympathetic until I wanted to yell at Mark "just go out and find some young bird to bang!"  Nica sets this up so that Magdalene almost deserves to be cheated on, but, she does so in a way that allows Magdalene to cheat right back.  In fact, while she’s on the phone with Mark, a young man from technical support is walking down the hallway toward her and we don’t need a copy of the script to see how THAT is going to end.

Although Mark’s character is the one whose sex scene comes first in the video it’s Magdalene’s character who strays first as she invites her computer technician, Richie Deville, to have dinner with her.  Meanwhile, at the office, comely young April O’Neil attempts to comfort her obviously depressed boss by inviting him out for a drink.  He is surprised by the offer and appears ready to brush it off.  But, then, he thinks ‘what the hell,’ and agrees.

Cut to the bar where O’Neil begins seducing her boss, talking about opportunities.  Mark plays the reluctant adulterer very convincingly.  April is a closer, however, and eventually convinces him to join her in bed.  Whew.  For a moment I thought virtue might win out…

Cut to what I will assume is O’Neil’s apartment where the dirty deed will take place.  She’s all over Mark as soon as they’re in the door – she WANTS him.  Mark Davis is an experienced and consummate cocksman.  Once his character gets over his nervousness and lingering feelings of inadequacy – remember, his wife has essentially castrated him mentally – he takes over the scene and plays O’Neil’s body like a Stradivarius.  When you watch him make love to her you shake your head and wonder what the hell is wrong with Magdalene.  The passion is palpable.  The chemistry is obvious.  And, for me, the clincher is what happens after Davis ejaculates.  His attention to O’Neil during the “afterplay,” is something that you rarely see in adult films by other directors; it’s a Nica Noelle trademark.  But, make no mistake; this sexual encounter isn’t about love.  It’s about lust.  A father’s lust, hence the title.  Davis’ love making has an almost angry quality to it at times which is what makes his attentiveness to O’Neil’s needs after his own climax all the more effective. 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Magdalene is having wine with her tech guy, Richie, and complaining that “monogamy is tough…year after year after year, you know what I mean?”  Given what we just saw Mark do with April one wonders who could get tired of sex like that?  Magdalene plays this character brilliantly.  And she easily seduces young Richie.  Of course she does.  Who could resist Magdalene? It’s a rhetorical question.  I really love Magdalene as predator.  When she looks at her prey she acquires an almost feral quality.  To be the subject of such regard should fill one with at least a little bit of fear.  Richie Deville, who I was seeing for the first time in this video, takes the only choice open to him in this situation and he allows his employer to take him to bed, where she uses him for her pleasure in an animalistic way.  She doesn’t love him.  She is using him as Mark is using April.  Each is hitting out at the other in the only way they can think of in a sex war by proxy.  It’s pathetic in a way.

The sex itself is pure Magdalene.  Deville isn’t the typical Porn Valley stunt cock.  His equipment approaches normal man-on-the-street proportions – unusual in porn.  And he seems to have a little difficulty getting wood – strike another blow for the average Joe.  He does, of course, get it up (hooray for our side!).  But this scene is about Magdalene and her needs/wants/desires.  As usual she takes care of herself rubbing the happy spot while Deville pokes her.  But she takes care of Deville as well – she always takes care of her partner, our Magdalene.  And the result is a satisfying scene full of passion and a hint of desperation.

Fortunately, following the sex-as-war antics of our married couple we are treated to an intermission of sorts as daughter Heather and her friend Lily bring some Sapphic naughtiness to Nica’s tale of a marriage gone stale.  Lily and Heather are BFF’s reunited after a long separation caused by Lily’s long ago move to Oregon where she is now a college student.  As luck would have it, Mark arrives on the scene as the joyous reunion is taking place and Lily gives Mark a smoldering look.  Mark, having tasted forbidden fruit once now has an appetite for it (trust me, the second adultery is always easier than the first) and we now know where his next affair is coming from, no pun intended.

But first, it’s dinner time, where Lily and Mark exchange meaningful glances; this does not go unnoticed by Magdalene and she is NOT a happy camper.  Barbs fly along with references to May-December romances – apparently Lily had a fling with an older man once before.  So the table is well and truly set for the inevitable Mark/Lily tryst.

Oh, but Nica isn’t going to give up the money shot just yet.  First we cut to Heather and Lily getting ready for bed.  Heather is talking about her parents and wondering which one of them is having the mid-life crisis (it’s both, actually).  Heather comments that her mother is formidable when angry – no one wants to get on her bad side, she admits.  Lily says “I always liked your dad.  He’s a really cool guy.”  Any idea that Magdalene is somehow the victim in this piece is foolish.  The sympathies of everyone in the video (and probably the audience) are all with Mark by now, if they weren't initially.

But, here we have two nubile young things, scantily clad, in a bedroom.  What could happen?  Cribbage?  Canasta?  Gin Rummy?  Oh, what the hell, let’s let hem have sex.  Great idea, Nica.  Heather Starlet is a cutie.  She plays the innocent extremely well.  Lily Carter is a good foil for Starlet’s innocence.  Carter has plans of her own.  First though Starlet and Carter take a trip down memory lane to a time when there was no boyfriend drama and they just had each other.  Lily says “I kind of miss those days.”  She then admits to having wanted to touch or kiss her friend Heather back then.  I’ll just say this…no one in porn bites their lower lip in as meaningful a way as Heather Starlet.  That’s how you can tell she’s thinking.  What she’s thinking about is how it would be a good idea for the two of them to kiss.  Lily is thinking the same thing and, thank goodness, we have lift off, or rather lip lock.  The sex that follows is erotic yet innocent.   Lots of kissing and extended foreplay with a good pay off to follow.  Good chemistry and lots of passion as years of suppressed desire blossom into a satisfying sexual encounter.

But what’s this?  Heather and Lily haven’t properly closed the door and here’s Mark Davis spying on the two Ingénues’ love making.  His lust for Lily Carter is now fully inflamed.  The only thing left to decide is how to consummate it.  Cut to Mark Davis in bed, a man with a lot on his mind but since his cock is getting all the blood he can’t think too clearly and, while Magdalene sleeps beside him he masturbates.

The next day, or possibly some days later, Mark is just getting home from work when Lily steps out of the bathroom clad in a towel which, conveniently, falls to the floor revealing her fresh young body in all its youthful glory.   The look on Lily’s face clearly suggests that this was done on purpose.  Mark is surprised but he can’t take his eyes off of her, and who can blame him?  I couldn’t either.  Nica is having fun with us now (director as vixen).  Lily gives Mark what can only be described as an old fashioned look over her shoulder and then escapes into the bedroom. Mark is left standing there, speechless with desire and unable to do anything about it.   He does, of course, do something about it after a little more drama with Magdalene, who catches Mark and Lily kissing in the living room.  Oh-oh.  Magdalene wants Lily out of the house, now.

Cut to the next day, Mark comes home as Lily has her bags packed and is getting ready to leave.  They apologize to each other for the trouble their kiss caused, but since Magdalene and Heather are out shopping, the apologies turn into a passionate romp in the bedroom.  Once again, Mark Davis proves his worth as a male porn star, and Lily is his willing partner.  She really has a crush on the older man and does all she can to please him.  He wants to prove himself (again I could be projecting here) on this young woman, and gives her his best efforts.  The result is a pair of sweaty and satisfied lovers. 

What will happen to this family?  That’s another story, but I predict a divorce coming soon to a nearby law office….

Overall Impressions

I have no qualms about giving this video a strong recommendation for purchase or rental for those who prefer story driven adult features.

Great story, good pairings, top notch acting all around, and deft direction combine to make a thoroughly enjoyable tale about a crumbling marriage between two aging baby boomers that have drifted apart.    The story stands on its own without the sex scenes.  But I’m glad the sex scenes were in the video because they are an integral part of the story and they are very well done.  As with many of Nica's romantic features this one could probably be edited into a hard-R cable movie (and probably has been) and it would work just as well.


Mark Davis and Magdalene St Michaels each give outstanding performances and the supporting cast is excellent as well, particularly Lily Carter.

Good camera work, lighting, sound, and editing – no obvious technical flaws of any kind that I saw. 

A clear winner for Nica Noelle and Hard Candy Films.