Lea Padovani Movies

In this imaginary tale set in 18th-century Europe, Cazotte (Jean-Pierre Cassel), a regaled court painter and womanizer is out to seduce the indomitable Ehrengard (Audrey Matson) -- not an easy task, as he is about to find out. Ehrengard has been sent to be a companion and lady-in-waiting to the young Princess, exiled for the time being to a distant country estate so her out-of-wedlock pregnancy will not become public knowledge. Ehrengard may be schooled in all the amenities, but she rides and thinks like a veritable Amazon and no matter what Cazotte does to capture her fancy, she is far from smitten. After the Princess gives birth, the baby is kidnapped and Ehrengard, completely undaunted by the task ahead of her, sets out for the kidnapper's lair, fully confident that the ruse she has planned will be more than enough to save the day and to get back at Cazotte for his unrelenting sexual overtures. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this big-budget adaptation of Terry Southern's satiric sex farce (the sort of project that could get an immediate green light in the late 1960's and at practically no other time before or since), Ewa Aulin is Candy, a sweet young woman who doesn't seem entirely aware of the powerful sexual desire she brings out in men. While her father (John Astin) and mother (Elsa Martinelli) try to keep Candy in line, the task proves to be all but impossible, as she's seduced by a remarkable variety of men in her journeys, including a booze-addled poet (Richard Burton), a mystical guru who lives on a truck (Marlon Brando), a gardener from Mexico (Ringo Starr), a fanatical military man who refuses to leave his plane (Walter Matthau), a pair of uncomfortably high-strung doctors (John Huston and James Coburn) and even her own uncle (Astin, again). The Byrds and Steppenwolf contributed songs to the soundtrack; the screenplay was written by Buck Henry. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Jacques Perrin was awarded Best Actor at the 1966 Venice Film Festival for his gripping portrayal of a young writer's descent into madness. Alienated, neurotic, and plagued by guilt, Perrin retreats from reality, loses interest in work, and comes to the brink of suicide before being sent to an asylum for shock therapy. Escaping from the asylum, Perrin returns to his boyhood home, where he learns the reasons for his present mental state. The strong supporting cast, including Lea Padovani and Pier Paolo Capponi, bring credence to their roles, but it is De Seta's direction, Perrin's controlled performance, and a relatively subtle score by Ennio Morricone which keep this film from becoming as overwrought as it might have become in other hands. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Composed by five different screenwriters, this Italian/French comedy stars the talented and ubiquitous Vittorio Gassman as an army officer who has a difficult time believing an attractive woman is in fact a woman. Michele Mercier plays a performer who is taking the place of a female impersonator so that he may defect. When Gassman visits the show on a weekend furlough, he sees her performance and, even though there seems plenty of proof, he refuses to buy her explanation. Also woven into the plot are several loosely relevant stories about others staying at the same resort on the Riviera. Sandra Milo, Umberto D'Orsi, Graziella Granata and Philipe Leroy are among the actors also appearing in this feature. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

Directed by Edward Dmytryk, The Reluctant Saint is based on the life of Saint Joseph of Cupertino. When young Giuseppe Diesa (Maximilian Schell) is sent to work at a monastery circa 17th century Italy -- his parents believed he was mentally challenged -- he surprises a local bishop by his incredible relationship with the monastery's animals. Believing this merits a traditional religious education, he is taken in and taught to pray, with miraculous results. His spiritual energy apparently allows him to levitate, which impressed many, and terrified others. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

The slow pacing of this fanciful tale about the life and one reputed love of the Spanish artist Francisco Goya makes for an uneven drama. Anthony Franciosa is the artist, and Ava Gardner plays his paramour, the Duchess of Alba. While the Prime Minister of Spain schemes to betray his country to Napoleon's forces and the Spanish Inquisition is winding to a close (overplayed here) Goya is trying to survive the pangs of love he feels for the aloof Duchess. In reality, the artist was seriously ill during this period -- in the last decade of the 18th century -- and actually went deaf. But reality is set aside for high romance, as the pair of star-crossed lovers take center stage over art and politics. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this Italian romantic comedy set in the town of Sorrento, on the beautiful Bay of Naples, a woman rents a home from a dashing womanizer. Unfortunately, after 30 years away, the man returns to become the town police chief and wants to reclaim his home. The woman refuses to leave. The man then attempts to use his many charms. The ploy works and the woman agrees to dump her fiancé and marry him instead. When the womanizer realizes what she is about to do, he jilts her instead and decides to woo his own landlady instead. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

An Arab man enters a desert to chase the doctor who caused his wife's unexpected death. ~ All Movie Guide

The third entry in the Italian "Bread, Love and. . ." series, Pane, Amore e. . . was directed by Dino Risi, taking over from the auteur of the first two films, Luigi Comencini. Likewise, Sophia Loren substitutes for Gina Lollobrigida, the female star of the earlier films; only Vittorio De Sica returns for the third time. De Sica plays a retired village marshal who returns to his home town of Sorrento, where much against his will he is appointed chief of police. His first job is to evict Sophia Loren, the sexy fish peddler who has been living in his old apartment. By and by, De Sica falls in love with Loren, never realizing (at least until the last reel) that landlady Lea Padovani is the "right" girl for him. In America, Pane, Amore E. . . was released as Scandal in Sorrento. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title of this French noir drama translates to The Black File. Jean-Marc Bory plays Jacques Arnaud, an idealistic young investigator who comes to work in a small French town. He is soon involved in a mysterious case incriminating a town notable. Arnaud devotes himself to the case but the upshot of this is rather surprising to all concerned, not to mention the audience. Like Cayatte's previous efforts, Le Dossier Noir is based on the proposition that the phrase "French justice" can at times be oxymoronic. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Barrier of the Law is an Italian crime meller with an above-average cast. Italy's Rosanno Brazzi and France's Jacques Sernas are top-billed in this tense little effort. The plot concerns an undercover operation, wherein a honest cop infiltrates a gang of clever crooks. Complications ensue when a pretty young girl falls for the cop, threatening to blow his cover or compromise his mission. Virtually unreleased in the US, Barrier of the Law has is currently available in a handful of public-domain video catalogues. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide