User Reviews

I remember my Grandpa (who was a wise man), telling me as a kid, a popular Italian saying which, loosely translated, sounds: "A pussy-hair can pull stronger then a pair of oxes"! Growing older, I soon came to realize that my Grandpa was right. It's definitely a vulgar saying, but it makes a point: some women can use sex to make the male "dance to the rhythm of her own music" and the male usually...loves it. It's just a fact of life. That's what happens in "Il corpo della ragassa" (in northern Italy dialect) to Doctor Ulderico Quadrio, a "way over the hill" wealthy single man, who lives in a luxury house, still with his former nanny/housekeeper/lover Caterina. He has a week spot for French culture and young chicks. He discovers Teresa called "Tirisin", a poor and ignorant 22 years old virgin (!?!) with a very pretty face and a "drop-dead body", gets carried away and, with the help of Caterina, teaches her the arts of femininity and erotic seduction. Tirisin is a quick learner and soon Ulderico can show off, what once was a rough stone, now a polished and shiny diamond. As he says to his friends: my masterpiece! Tirisin very quickly puts his newly acquired skills to work against her horny benefactor, which falls pray of his own victim. She plans to exploit him and drives him crazy with jealousy. At one point, she even pretends to be pregnant. Way out of control, he decides to marry her. Just before he does, Tirisin, who feels that finally victory is in sight, decides to offer herself to her mature fiancée. Ulderico however, at the brink of mental and physical resistance, can't take so much excitement and practically "croaks" between the legs of his young lover, just seconds before this so long awaited act can be consumed. You must see it to believe it. Tough luck and bad timing but, on the other hand, what a wonderful way to die...!. There are several reasons why I found this typical Italian Sex Comedy entertaining. The script was loosely based on a quite amusing novel written by the late Gianni Brera, a talented writer, knowledgeable journalist and sport commentator, skilled "gourmet" and, using his own words, profound "connoisseur de femmes". The story is far from being original, basically it is "Pygmalion revisited Italian Sex-Comedy's style", but the development of several sub-plots and secondary characters makes it actually quite enjoyable. Experienced Director Pasquale Festa Campanile, picked up the best of the novel and succeeded recreating the peculiar atmosphere, during the sixties, of a provincial city (several outdoor sequences were actually shot on location in Mantua, pretty medieval town, well known for its great cuisine and beautiful women), and its surrounding rural area, located at the lower east corner of Lombardy. He nostalgically recreates a kind of lazy atmosphere, impregnated with flavors and scents of good wine, hearty food, sweat, uninhibited sex with easy women with lots of over-sized curves and jumbo body-hair. Poor Doctor Ulderico, who has a sophisticated taste for art, food, women and considers sexuality mainly an intellectual activity, is definitely out of place in this provincial town. So he builds his own exclusive world around himself and Tirisin, as a valuable trophy, becomes part of this project, together with the antiques, sculptures, paintings and other assorted art objects. At this point you may come to think: well, who is the real exploiter here? Good thought my friend! There is still hope for you... And now the acting. Enrico Maria Salerno, a versatile actor with a solid stage background, who got sucked into Movie-Land starring in numerous (and mainly worthless) flicks of the "Gialli/Polizziotti" and "Sex-Comedy" sub-genres, finds himself well at ease in the part of Ulderico and delivers several moments of fine acting. The teaching process is opportunity for several laughs and so are the courting efforts by the pathetic doctor, who seems almost afraid...to "get too close to the cheese". Renzo Montagnani, who became nothing less then an "Icon" of the Italian Sex-Comedy (watch '77 "The Ladies Doctor" aka "Il Ginecologo della Mutua" and you'll understand what I mean), strangely gets limited screen-time here, but still delivers a convincing and hilarious portrait of the greedy and exploitative father of Tirisin. Worth to mention a group of supporting actors led by solid veteran actresses Elsa Vazzoler, as the possessive Caterina, and Marisa Belli as Cecchina, the (almost) retired whore, who becomes friend, "consigliere" and partner of Tirisin. And now let's finally get to the leading lady: Lilli Carati, as many of you remember, the undisputed Queen of all the beauties who crowded Italian screens in the '70's, a sultry brunette with mesmerizing dark eyes, great cheek-bones, luscious lips and a body "to die for" with all the right curves in the right places. She starred mainly in a bunch of silly Sex-Comedies (watch '78 "Avere vent'anni", where she teams-up with cutie Gloria Guida, a silly sex-romp with a surprisingly shocking ending), went on into "Erotica" becoming a regular of (in)famous Aristide Massacesi aka Joe d'Amato and, little by little, learned to act. She proves it here, as the naughty but lovable Tirisin. Unfortunately she got into drug habit and subsequently ended up in H. C. Porn to support her addiction. She vanished in thin air after '91 and....I still miss her! I give this one a (bit generous) 7 out of 10.