简介：TheAdulteressisbasicallyaHarlequinromanceviewedthroughthefashionablydownbeatprismofearly-’70scinema.Thesetupisacompendiumoferotic-fictionclichés,andthepayoffrepresentsalaughableattemptattragicheaviosity.What’smore,theactingiswildlyuneven,nosmallproblemseeingashowTheAdulteressisanintimatecharacterpiecewithonlythreemajorroles.Oneevening,middle-agedCarlSteiner(GregoryMorton)drunkenlystumblesoutofabar,sostudlyyoungdrifterHankBaron(EricBraeden)drivesCarlhome.Carl’sdecades-youngerwife,Inez(TyneDaly),insiststhatHankcrashonthecouchasrepayment.Thenextday,sobered-upCarloffersHankahandymanjob,andHanklearnsthatCarlandInezlostayoungsonawhilebackinacaraccident,henceCarl’sself-destructivedrinking.SeeingshirtlessHankworkinghardgetsInezhotandbothered,soCarl,whoisimpotent,asksHanktoimpregnatehiswife.Predictably,lovemakingleadstofeelings,andtheresultingthree-wayrelationshipgetsdangerouslymessy.EverythingaboutTheAdulteressiscontrivedandfalse.Braeden’sfartoowoodenanactortoportrayahipVietnamvet,andDalyistoogroundedandtoughtoplayawomanwholetsherlifespinoutofcontrol.There’salsozeroheatbetweentheactors,nomatterhowmanysignifiersforvirilityco-writer/directorNorbertMeiselthrowsonscreen.(Atvarioustimes,Bradenridesahorseandamotorcycle,because,younow,powerbetweenhislegsandallthat.)Thefilmmovesatadeadlypace,withinnumerablescenesofpointlessconversation,andthewannabepassionatehighpoint—DalystraddlingBraedenwhilehe’sastrideahorse—islikeoneofthoseFabiobook-coverpaintingscometolife.…