Titina Paterno, a widow in a small coastal town in Sicily, goes insane after the death of her husband. She cannot stop telling whoever wants to hear her that Vito Acicatena, the fascist bigwig of the region was the one responsible of the crime. Justice, alas, will not do anything to punish this criminal, but Titina, in her own way, will be Vito's worst nightmare.
When a leftist lawyer, Rosario Spallone, sees Titina, it is love at first sight. She wants nothing to do with him. In fact, she does what she can in order to avoid him. The repulsion she feels about Spallone changes as she realizes he really wants her. Another man, Nicola Sanmichele, a Sicilia gangster who grew up in America, returns to his native land. He is a relative of Titina and he too, secretly desires her for himself. This trio will become entangled in their own quest to get rid of Vito by whatever means necessary.
Lina Wertmuller, the Italian director, had a string of hits in the 1970s when all her films were shown in the art house circuit. This film came toward the end of that productive period. The result is a movie that is not as involving as the much better ones, "Swept Away", "Love and Anarchy", and "Seven Beauties", just to name a few. We watched an all English version, which might have not been exactly the best way to watch the film. The director's usual political views are on display in the picture. Somehow the film has a feeling of not having aged well.
Sophia Loren, even clothed in long black garments, is still a welcome presence no matter where. Our only objection was her heavy makeup that makes the area around her eyes so black, that when seen from a distance she appears to be wearing dark sunglasses. Ms. Wertmuller loved to shoot her films in closeups. Giancarlo Giannini, an actor whose work with the director is about the best he has done in the cinema, fares better, perhaps because of his special relationship and because having worked with her before. Marcello Mastroiani appears as Rosario wearing a long beard that does not do justice to his character and is at a disadvantage, perhaps, in the eyes of Titina.
When a leftist lawyer, Rosario Spallone, sees Titina, it is love at first sight. She wants nothing to do with him. In fact, she does what she can in order to avoid him. The repulsion she feels about Spallone changes as she realizes he really wants her. Another man, Nicola Sanmichele, a Sicilia gangster who grew up in America, returns to his native land. He is a relative of Titina and he too, secretly desires her for himself. This trio will become entangled in their own quest to get rid of Vito by whatever means necessary.
Lina Wertmuller, the Italian director, had a string of hits in the 1970s when all her films were shown in the art house circuit. This film came toward the end of that productive period. The result is a movie that is not as involving as the much better ones, "Swept Away", "Love and Anarchy", and "Seven Beauties", just to name a few. We watched an all English version, which might have not been exactly the best way to watch the film. The director's usual political views are on display in the picture. Somehow the film has a feeling of not having aged well.
Sophia Loren, even clothed in long black garments, is still a welcome presence no matter where. Our only objection was her heavy makeup that makes the area around her eyes so black, that when seen from a distance she appears to be wearing dark sunglasses. Ms. Wertmuller loved to shoot her films in closeups. Giancarlo Giannini, an actor whose work with the director is about the best he has done in the cinema, fares better, perhaps because of his special relationship and because having worked with her before. Marcello Mastroiani appears as Rosario wearing a long beard that does not do justice to his character and is at a disadvantage, perhaps, in the eyes of Titina.