The year is 1823 in Bahgdad (I have no idea why that message at the start of the film is important), a desert caravan stop. David McBride (Willie Ames, recently of the "Eight is Enough" television series) is the son of pious --is there any other kind in the movies?-- missionary parents. He is both curious and appalled by his budding sexual curiosity. Sarah Scott (Phoebe Cates) is the orphaned daughter of a local English merchant, on her way back to the home country escorted by her "fuddy-duddy" uncle Geoffry (Richard Curnock.) Strange that he has a proper British accent but hers is Californian! But I digress.

The caravan meets up with a villanous slave trader --is there any other kind?-- nicknamed "The Jackel" (Tuvia Tavi) who wants Sarah for his harem. He and his nefarious band of sterotypical arabs (even their clothing is "black") follow the caravan into the desert and slay everyone except Sara, David, and Goeffry, who manage to hide down a water well. With only a camel and the clothes on their back, the three decide to keep travelling west across the desert toward Damascus instead of turning around for the closer safety (plus food and water) in Bahgdad (the first of many illogical things in this script.) Halfway across the desert, the Jackel catches up with them again and tortures Geoffrey to death. The young couple escape again and continue their suffering trek across the sand dunes to music that is a poor imitation of "Lawrence of Arabia," but I'm digressing again.

When all hope appears lost, they reach the sea and an oasis they name "Paradise." As the fish and coconuts are plentiful, here they decide to stay and fall in love. Their playful discovery of each others bodies goes through the expected coy smiles, come ons, and push-aways with plenty of shots of Sarah showering, examining her budding breasts, having a skinny-dip in the ocean and the like. As sexploitative as these scene are, there is still an unashamed innocence in the characters as they discover that their bodies are not really as "sinful" as young David first asserts.

If your're starting to think that "Paradise" is ripoff of "The Blue Lagoon," you're right except in this case we have waves of sand dunes instead of waves of ocean water. Also, the two stars really are nude some of the time, and not hidden by strategically placed hair or shrubbery. Another difference is is the monkeys.

Yes, just as the banal and tedious dialog starts to become unbearable, the couple adopts two local monkeys who "ape" the mating behavior of the humans in an attempt to inject some humor into the film, but by this time, most viewers will have turned down the volume and begun fast-forwarding for the next glimpse of a semi-naked Sarah/Phoebe.

(Note: I provide this narrative of the plot as a convenience to all the fast-forwarders so they can prove to their friends they actually watched the movie between Phoebe's nude scenes.)

As you might predict, The Jackel and his black riders come galloping over a sand dune one day and kidnap Sarah. David follows and with the monkeys' help, he kidnaps her back. And where do they go? Why back to "Club Paradise" again! (Like the bad guys would never look for them there!)

After a few more idyllic weeks under the swaying palms without their loin cloths, the bad guys do indeed return and force the couple to flee with the monkeys on camelback out into the desert, where David and his little bow and arrow faces down the sword-brandishing Jackel who is charging on horseback. Lucky shot if there ever was one. Strange, this is the only time the bad guy is seen alone without his nasty hoard, but I'm digressing once more.

Sarah finally realizes she is pregnant when the monkeys deliver their own little baby bundle. They wander on a little longer until they once again find the ocean and a cityscape beyond. The movie closes as the two are running down the beach toward civilization. Ask any woman who is six months pregnant if running down a beach is a good idea, or even possible. Ah, but perhaps I am being too critical?

If you aren't laughing by now at the improbably plot and embarrassing dialog, then I haven't done a good job as reviewer. While it is not the worst movies of all time, it definitely is on that list somewhere. I could just as easily have given this movie 1 star instead of 2, but the extra credit is for the writer's attempt as having its characters evolve sexually in a natural and nudist environment without shame or judgement.

If all you want is to see Phoebe Cates naked and scantily clad (sorry to all you teenage boys out there, in most of the sex scenes she used a body-double!), then turn down the sound and put on some music (preferably some 70's cheesy porno movie music). The score by Paul Hoffert is totally uninspired, as is the title song sung over the closing credits by Phoebe Cates herself. (Warning: this stupid tune will haunt your dreams!) Note: the music was totally re-scored in the 2008 DVD release.

The studio probably hoped the movie had the potential to be another "Blue Lagoon" but all they gave us was Phoebe at her nubile finest and a mouth full of sand.