Taboo centers on Barbara Scott (Kay Parker), a middle-aged, attractive woman in a stale, sexless marriage. Her husband, Tom (Tom Bradley), is distant and uninterested in intimacy. Their adult son, Paul (Mike Ranger), has just returned home after being discharged from the Navy. Barbara’s marriage disintegrates further when she discovers Tom having an affair with a younger woman.
Feeling neglected and emotionally adrift, Barbara finds herself increasingly drawn to Paul—not just as a mother, but as a woman. After a series of charged, awkward moments, mother and son cross the ultimate line into a passionate, secret sexual relationship. The film explores the psychological and emotional fallout: guilt, discovery, and the impossibility of returning to normal family life once the taboo is broken.
Taboo is considered a landmark in the "Golden Age of Porn" (late 1960s–early 1980s) for several reasons: imdb taboo 1980
Unlike many adult films of its era that used flimsy excuses for scenes, Taboo is notable for having a structured, dramatic narrative focused on psychological and social transgression.
Main Plot: Barbara (played by Dorothy LeMay) is a divorced, middle-aged woman living with her adult son, Paul (played by Mike Ranger). Frustrated with aging and loneliness, Barbara becomes involved with a younger man – who turns out to be her son's best friend. When Paul discovers this, rather than being repulsed, he becomes intensely jealous. The film's central "taboo" unfolds: Paul seduces his own mother, and she eventually reciprocates. The remainder of the film deals with the guilt, secrecy, and psychological fallout of their incestuous relationship. Taboo centers on Barbara Scott (Kay Parker), a
Key Distinction: This is not a parody or a comedy. The film treats its subject matter with a serious, almost melodramatic tone, which was highly unusual for adult cinema at the time.
The story centers on Barbara Scott (played by Kay Parker), a beautiful, upper-middle-class woman who is sexually frustrated and emotionally vulnerable after her husband leaves her. Taboo is considered a landmark in the "Golden
While her son, Paul (played by Mike Ranger), is sexually active with his girlfriend (Dorothy LeMay), Barbara struggles to navigate the dating scene. She attempts to have an affair with a younger man but finds the experience unfulfilling.
The film builds to its notorious climax (and defining taboo) when Paul begins to fantasize about his mother. After witnessing her crying and vulnerable in her bedroom, Paul initiates a sexual encounter with Barbara. While initially resistant, Barbara succumbs, and the two engage in an incestuous affair. The film ends with the suggestion that this relationship will continue, cementing the breaking of the ultimate social taboo.