Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay

Lore & Background

The film follows two young women, Anna and Françoise, who run out of gas near a village in Auvergne. After spending the night in a barn, Anna disappears, and Françoise is guided by a dwarf named Gurth through the forest of Brocéliande to a lake, where a magic canoe takes her to an island castle. There, she encounters Morgan le Fay and her scantily clad women, who frolic and kiss. Morgan offers Françoise immortality and beauty, but refusal leads to a life of abjection among older women. Françoise escapes but is recaptured, then schemes with Gurth to steal a magic necklace and tunic that render her invisible and control the boat. Gurth sacrifices himself using a ring of life, allowing Françoise to flee, but she ultimately calls out for Morgan, who returns her to the barn where Anna sleeps.

Reader's Guide

Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay occupies a niche in European exploitation cinema, blending Arthurian legend with lesbian eroticism. Shot in 1970 at the dilapidated Château de Val and in Bort-les-Orgues, with cellar scenes later filmed in Paris, the film was released in France on 17 February 1971 to an audience of about 25,000 viewers in its first week. Critics have praised its setup and characters, and it has been labeled a neglected Eurotrash classic. The film's significance lies in its fusion of fantasy and exploitation, offering a rare female-centric take on the Morgan le Fay mythos within the erotic horror genre. Its legacy endures among cult film enthusiasts, though it remains obscure in mainstream cinema history.

Did You Know?

• The film was shot on location at the Château de Val, which was in disrepair and available cheaply.
• A poem by Louise Labé is recited during Morgan's party in the cellar scenes.
• The dwarf Gurth procures women for Morgan and aspires to take over her rule.
• The film had an audience of around 25,000 viewers in its first week of release.

Plot & Narrative Arc

Two young women, Anna and Françoise, are driving through the Auvergne when their car runs out of fuel near a peculiar village. After a night spent in a barn, Anna disappears the next morning. A dwarf in medieval garb leads Françoise through a forest identified as Brocéliande to a lake, where a magic canoe carries her to an island castle. There she finds a community of scantily clad women overseen by the dwarf Gurth, and is questioned by Morgan le Fay, who offers her immortality and eternal beauty. The alternative, Morgan warns, is a life of abjection among older women. Anna, tied up in a basement, accepts the bargain. Françoise tries to swim away but discovers Morgan waiting on the far shore. She ultimately conspires with Gurth to steal a magic tunic, a boat-controlling necklace, and Morgan's topaz globe. Gurth is condemned to blindness, muteness, and leglessness, yet gives Françoise his ring of life before dying so she can flee. In the film's final twist, she calls out for Morgan, who materializes instantly and returns her to the barn, where Anna still sleeps.

Production & Filming Details

Bruno Gantillon shot the film on location in 1970, primarily in Bort-les-Orgues and at the Château de Val, a castle that had fallen into disrepair and could be rented cheaply at the time. The cellar sequences depicting Morgan's feast were filmed separately in Paris at a later date. During that party, a poem by the Renaissance poet Louise Labé is recited, lending a literary dimension to the otherwise fantastical setting. The decision to use a genuinely dilapidated castle rather than a studio backlot likely contributed to the film's atmospheric, lived-in quality. The picture was released in France on 17 February 1971, drawing approximately 25,000 viewers during its first week of theatrical screening. For a niche erotic horror title in the early 1970s, that represented a modest but meaningful audience, suggesting the film found its intended viewers without achieving broad commercial distribution.

Cast & Character Ensemble

Dominique Delpierre takes on the central role of Morgan le Fay, the enigmatic ruler of the island who commands time itself and offers her guests a choice between eternal beauty and a life of degradation. Alfred Baillou plays Gurth, the dwarf in medieval garb who procures women for Morgan and secretly harbors ambitions to seize power. Mireille Saunin portrays Françoise, the protagonist who navigates the island's trials and ultimately schemes her way to freedom. The ensemble of women in Morgan's court includes Régine Motte as Yael, Ursule Pauly as Sylviane, Michèle Perello as Anna, and Nathalie Chaine as Sarah. Velly Beguard also appears, credited as herself. The narrative is structured around this predominantly female cast, with the women frolicking, kissing, and engaging in various intimate acts under Morgan's watchful eye, while the single male figure serves as both servant and schemer within their world.

Reception & Cult Legacy

Despite its classification as a lesbian exploitative production, the film has earned critical praise for its atmospheric setup and well-drawn characters. It has been labeled a "neglected Eurotrash classic," a designation that captures both its cult following and its relative obscurity in mainstream film history. Morgan le Fay's rule over the island of Avalon is compared by critics to a lesbian paradise, evoking the ancient island of Lesbos, which gives the picture a distinctive place in 1970s European erotic cinema. The blend of Arthurian mythology, horror conventions, and explicit content created a niche that few other films occupied. Released in February 1971 and drawing roughly 25,000 viewers in its opening week, it found a dedicated audience without achieving wide commercial success. Its enduring legacy rests primarily in cult appreciation and its reputation as a visually striking, unconventional entry in the Eurotrash genre that continues to attract interest from genre enthusiasts.