Private Lessons is the title of an American comedy film released in 1980. The film starred Sylvia Kristel, Howard Hesseman, Eric Brown, and Ed Begley, Jr.
The screenplay was written by Dan Greenburg, who wrote the original source novel, Philly. Greenburg appears as the manager of a fleabag motel in the film.
Released in 1981, Private Lessons was highly controversial from the time of its release, for its plot line of a sexual relationship between a boy in his early teens and his 30-something housekeeper. It was one of Kristel's few major American film appearances; she was best known for her Emmanuelle films in Europe. In early 2006, a 25th anniversary DVD release was issued in North America.
Philip "Philly" Fillmore (Eric Brown) is the 15-year-old son of a rich businessman who has left town on an extended summer trip, leaving the young man in the passing care of Nicole Mallow (Sylvia Kristel), a sexy French housekeeper, and Lester Lewis (Howard Hesseman), the family's chauffeur.
Philly becomes infatuated with Nicole. When she spots him peeping into her room, she tells him to close her door. To Philly's utter shock, she means for him to close her door from the inside and then watch her undress. However, it is too much for him when a topless Nicole asks him to touch her breasts. When he objects, she steps back and instead takes off her underwear. Philly panics and leaves.