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Thursday, November 7, 2013

BOCCACCIO '70 (1962)

Today I would like to share with you one of my absolute, all-time favorite films...

Boccaccio '70!


Directed by Vittori de Sica, Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti, and Mario Monicelli (only in the Italian version); this film is an anthology of four short films starring Romy Schneider, Sophia Loren,Anita Ekberg, and many more! The stories are both humorous and poignant; and feature characters from many different backgrounds:

Renzo e Luciana
directed by Mario Monicelli

Storyline:
a young couple tries to hide their marriage and the wife’s supposed pregnancy from the draconian book-keeper of their employer, who has banned female employees from getting married and having children but does not mind a few cheap thrills at their expense himself. This story reminds me of being a newlywed myself, and how disheartening beginnings can sometimes be...





Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio
directed by Federico Fellini 

Storyline: an elderly citizen is fed up with too much immorality in the form of indecent content in print. His anger knows no bounds when a provocative billboard of Anita Ekberg advertising "Drink more milk" is put up in a park near his residence. Little does he know how that billboard will go on to change his life. Throughout the film, children are heard singing the jingle "Bevete più latte, bevete più latte!" ("Drink more milk!") The image begins to haunt him with hallucinations in which she appears as a temptress and Dr. Antonio as St. George to spear the dragon – he is pursued and captured by the buxom Swedish star in a deserted Rome and at one point, his umbrella falls between her breasts.









 Il Lavoro
directed by Luchino Visconti

Storyline: an aristocratic couple coming to terms with life and marriage after the husband is caught visiting prostitutes by the press. I absolutely loved seeing Romy Schneider in this role, it is so very bittersweet...liberating and tragic all at once.









La Riffa
directed by Vittorio de Sica

Storyline: a lottery with the winner entitled to one night with the attractive Zoe (Sophia Loren). Zoe, however, has other plans. Both humorous and poignant, I really adore everything about this piece...the characters, the acting, the cinematography, and the fashion! 









 I hope you will consider watching this masterpiece of Italian cinema, it truly is unique!

Comrade Von Pussycat

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