Maraschino Cherry (1978 film)

Maraschino Cherry
Original film DVD cover
Directed by	Radley Metzger (as "Henry Paris")
Produced by	Morton Berman
Written by	Radley Metzger (as "Jake Barnes")
Starring	Annette Haven C. J. Laing Constance Money Eric Edwards Gloria Leonard Lesllie Bovee Michael Gaunt Susan McBain Wade Nichols
Music by	Music Sound Track Service
Cinematography	Chico Carter Larry Revene (uncredited)
Edited by	Harvey Katz
Distributed by	Mature Pictures Corporation (as Maturpix) Video-X-Pix (USA)
Release date	October 20, 1978 (USA)
Running time	85 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Maraschino Cherry is an American adult erotic film released in 1978. The film was directed by Radley Metzger (as "Henry Paris") and filmed in several elaborate locations in New York City.

Maraschino Cherry was released during the Golden Age of Porn (inaugurated by the 1969 release of Andy Warhol's Blue Movie) in the United States, at a time of "porno chic", in which adult erotic films were just beginning to be widely released, publicly discussed by celebrities (like Johnny Carson and Bob Hope) and taken seriously by film critics (like Roger Ebert).

Films made by Radley Metzger, the film director, are noted for their "lavish design, witty screenplays, and a penchant for the unusual camera angle", according to one film reviewer. Another film reviewer noted that Metzger's films are "highly artistic – and often cerebral ... and often featured gorgeous cinematography".

Maraschino Cherry, the owner of a high-class escort service in New York City, teaches her younger sister about the business. The two sisters reflect on a series of erotic episodes related to the service and its clients.

According to one film reviewer, Maraschino Cherry is a "... beautifully shot film ... the dialogue is well written, the humor genuinely funny ...". Another reviewer writes, "Most of Metzger’s films are known for their offbeat humor and witty dialog. Maraschino Cherry is filled [with] many amusing comedy set pieces ...".

In 2009, DistribPix released a complete remastering of the film, with the full cooperation of the director. The result had a limited exhibition in theaters, but the main outcome of the project was the first-ever official remastered DVD version. A listing of the music on the film soundtrack was released earlier.