Exploits of a Young Don Juan (1986)

Exploits of a Young Don Juan is a glossy, old-world coming-of-age farce that treats adolescent desire like a runaway carriage—reckless, funny, and strangely elegant in its period finery. Set on the eve of World War I, it plays as a sunlit, handsomely staged French sex comedy where the villa’s airy rooms, stolen glances, and mischievous momentum keep the tone buoyant even as it flirts with scandal. Gianfranco Mingozzi leans into charm and pace, letting the film’s lovely imagery and playful performances do the seducing rather than anything graphic or grim. It’s not for everyone—its premise is deliberately outrageous and morally cheeky—but if you can meet it on its own naughty, nostalgic wavelength, it’s an easy, amusing watch that moves like champagne: light, fizzy, and gone before you’ve checked your watch.

Exploits of a Young Don Juan is aiming for a cheeky, old-world sex farce dressed up with a 1914 backdrop and a coming-of-age angle, leaning on a “naughty but playful” tone rather than serious drama. The problem is the premise is the whole engine: a teenage boy cycling through a household of women, with incest-adjacent situations and constant sexual scheming that can feel less like comedy and more like a list of provocations. If you’re expecting clever wit, character depth, or any real emotional consequence, you’ll likely find it repetitive, thinly plotted, and more interested in nudity than storytelling. The main redeeming draw is the period setting and the cast’s polished, Euro-erotic vibe, but this is firmly niche—best avoided if the subject matter makes you uncomfortable or you simply want a comedy with an actual point.