Cadinot: Scouts' 1981

There are themes discernible in Jean-Daniel Cadinot's early films. "Tendres Adolescents" presents a beautiful depiction of unconditional love between two adolescent boys."Stop" presents a archetypal alpha male (the hitchhiker) seeking sexual dominance over other men (the film compromised by a curious inability of the hitchhiker to perform to the level we would expect of Mr Alpha).

"Scouts" is something quite different. Cadinot told us that he, as a gay teenager, felt out of place in the Catholic Church and the Scouts, two institutions which he felt were at odds with his own sexual feelings.

Watching the film with this information, leads one to truly appreciate how brilliantly conceived it is. This is a fantasy film that a filmmaker in his mid-30s created in memory of what were obvious teenage fantasies.

Eight scouts, divided into two troops, embark on a treasure hunt in a rocky, mountainous area through which runs a rapidly moving stream. They are accompanied by a fully frocked priest (Jacques De Rives), carrying what appears to be a Bible. The priest's long black gown is the only garment the priest is wearing as we can see when he raises the hem of his frock up to his face to wipe off some sweat.

The scouts, without a hint of self-consciousness and with no underwear,wear the briefest of shorts which are split to assure that their own treasures are always evident to fellow scouts (and the viewing audience).

Unlike the hitchhiker in "Stop", none of the eight scouts have any trouble at all manning up for whatever comes. Both of the stars of "Tendres Adolescents", Ange Dominique and Jean-Paul Deval, are among the scouts.

THe priest's bible has another book inside. Instead of, say, Thomas Aquinas, it is some of the racier work of Tom of Finland. This puts the priest in the mood to see what the scouts are doing, and finding them engaged in sex comes up behind one, lifting the front of his frock, shows the scout how to become a Lucky Pierre.

Soon both scouts accept the Priest's invitation for them to crawl under his habit, one in front, one in back, to continue their religious education.

Meanwhile other scouts are studying maps and practicing orienteering. Despite wearing shorts obviously dangerously inappropriate for such high adventure activities as rock-climbing and wading in rapids, the scouts still want to take part in the sexual fun and games.

Scouts learn the techniques of giving and receiving pleasure while negotiating the rocks through which a rapidly flowing river runs or hopping over rocky crags high up a mountain.

The film has the spirit of the naughty thoughts of boys in their late teens, remembered and memorialized nearly two decades later by an experienced maker of adult films.

Cadinot revisited the themes of Scouts when he moved to making an hour plus films and is usually called 'Scouts II'