A classic Italian comedy/drama from a director considerably less flamboyant than Fellini but no less important, Vittorio De Sica. Marriage Italian Style stars larger than life personalities Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. The story features Loren as the mistress of Mastroianni over a 20 year period. A spouse in every way but legally Loren finally resorts to some drastic measures in their relationship.
This is Loren in her prime sex goddess period and frankly when the film started I was expecting the worst and for a while I got it. But De Sica was one of the few directors who could actually get a real performance out of her. She even credibly ages without the benefit of using her looks or her bosom. Mastroianni plays the usual excitable Italian who is somewhat of an ass.
 |
| Mastroianni, Loren and Vittorio De Sica |
The film is supposedly a comedy, but frankly there is more drama than comedy in it. De Sica focuses on the exploitation of Italian women in a culture that is absolutely oozing with male chauvinism.
Vittorio De Sica was a meticulous craftsman. The film is extremely well directed with excellent color photography.
102 minutes
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment