War is raging in Southern Italy. As the story opens we are taken to a small church where people have come to atone for sins they have committed. We see a prostitute in the aisle talking loudly as she wants to repents for her trespasses. At the same moment, the camera focuses on Nunziata, a beautiful woman, standing at the back of the nave. A soldier approaches and goes behind her and we watch as he begins to paw her all over and she responds his advances.
Life in this small hill town is difficult. Nunziata's daughter, the happy go lucky Miluzza, is wiser than her young years. Nunziata is married to Gioacchino, a tailor, but she is free to see whoever she wants. Miluzza, who is admired by all the men in town, even the priest is aware of the young girl charms, doesn't have a boyfriend of her own. When tragedy strikes and her mother dies, she is left alone to fend for herself.
Help comes in the way of Don Peppe, who sees Miluzza working in his canning factory and immediately sets his eye on seducing the beautiful girl. Don Peppe's wife realizes what is going on and chases Miluzza away, but as the war is getting closer, she takes refuge in someone's house.
This is the place where Pietro, a wounded soldier who is walking home from Sicily meets Miluzza. She tends to his wounds and helps him get to his well to do family who lives not far away. Along the way, Pietro falls desperately in love with Miluzza. His family are not too happy to see the son enter into a marriage they consider it's below him. There is also a doubt in Pietro's mother, Gesummina's mind whether the girl is a virgin and worthy of her son's love.
Lina Wertmuller a director that was quite popular in the 1970s when her much loved films "Seven Beauties", and "Swept Away", were released, has adapted a novel by Domenico Rea with Ugo Pirro, to give us this movie about love, sex, and honor, that gets a great treatment on the screen. Her cinematographer, Ennio Guarnieri, captured the life in the small hill town in all its splendor. The haunting music by Ennio Morricone contributes to enhance the film.
Best thing in the movie is the delicious Lucia Cara, who gives life to Miluzza. Ms. Cara makes a wonderful heroine in this tale of lust amid some of the days of WWII in the Campania region of Italy. Stefania Sandrelli, a gorgeous actress, plays Nunziata, the prostitute with a heart of gold. Raoul Bova is the man who is swept off his feet by girl that doesn't expect anything back from him. Isa Danieli is wonderful as Gesummina, the matriarch in Pietro's family.
Ms. Wertmuller deserved better with this film. We don't remember ever having seen it released commercially in this country. The wonderful DVD transfer shows a film that will show why Ms. Wertmuller is one of Italy's best directors, in spite of some recent disappointments.
Life in this small hill town is difficult. Nunziata's daughter, the happy go lucky Miluzza, is wiser than her young years. Nunziata is married to Gioacchino, a tailor, but she is free to see whoever she wants. Miluzza, who is admired by all the men in town, even the priest is aware of the young girl charms, doesn't have a boyfriend of her own. When tragedy strikes and her mother dies, she is left alone to fend for herself.
Help comes in the way of Don Peppe, who sees Miluzza working in his canning factory and immediately sets his eye on seducing the beautiful girl. Don Peppe's wife realizes what is going on and chases Miluzza away, but as the war is getting closer, she takes refuge in someone's house.
This is the place where Pietro, a wounded soldier who is walking home from Sicily meets Miluzza. She tends to his wounds and helps him get to his well to do family who lives not far away. Along the way, Pietro falls desperately in love with Miluzza. His family are not too happy to see the son enter into a marriage they consider it's below him. There is also a doubt in Pietro's mother, Gesummina's mind whether the girl is a virgin and worthy of her son's love.
Lina Wertmuller a director that was quite popular in the 1970s when her much loved films "Seven Beauties", and "Swept Away", were released, has adapted a novel by Domenico Rea with Ugo Pirro, to give us this movie about love, sex, and honor, that gets a great treatment on the screen. Her cinematographer, Ennio Guarnieri, captured the life in the small hill town in all its splendor. The haunting music by Ennio Morricone contributes to enhance the film.
Best thing in the movie is the delicious Lucia Cara, who gives life to Miluzza. Ms. Cara makes a wonderful heroine in this tale of lust amid some of the days of WWII in the Campania region of Italy. Stefania Sandrelli, a gorgeous actress, plays Nunziata, the prostitute with a heart of gold. Raoul Bova is the man who is swept off his feet by girl that doesn't expect anything back from him. Isa Danieli is wonderful as Gesummina, the matriarch in Pietro's family.
Ms. Wertmuller deserved better with this film. We don't remember ever having seen it released commercially in this country. The wonderful DVD transfer shows a film that will show why Ms. Wertmuller is one of Italy's best directors, in spite of some recent disappointments.