Lilla Brignone Movies
- 1973
A widower falls in love with the new housekeeper (Laura Antonelli) he has hired for his three sons, but later realizes he's not the only man in the household wishing to have an affair with her. The film, originally released in Italy as Malizia, appears in dubbed English. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Teenaged boys fantasize about having sex with women in this Italian sex comedy, and they often succeed. Sandro (Alessandro Momo) takes his father's housekeeper to bed not long before she becomes his step-mother. As a temporary lifeguard at the beach, he courts the large coterie of sex-starved wives left at the beach for the summer by their hard-working husbands who only visit them on weekends. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1972
This autobiographical Italian film recounts director Elda Tattoli's progress from communism in the World War II era, to independent advocacy of Women's Liberation in the 1970s. In the process, one sees how the actual behavior of her Marxist allies betrayed the principles of women's equality she feels are inherent in Marxist philosophy. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1968
A bachelor attorney with a roving eye for beautiful women stets his sights on a 17-year-old student for his next amorous conquest. He meets with her parents, an economically troubled couple who soon give their consent for the couple to date. Using an engagement ring as an enticing lure to initiate sex, the lawyer gets more than he bargained for with the wily female who is wise far beyond her years. The tables are turned on the lawyer as she withholds her affections, feigns a pregnancy and ends up holding all the cards in the relationship with the older, "more experienced" attorney. Comedy relief is provided by the man's gay houseboy who engages in his own sexual escapades in this situation comedy of love, lust and desire. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ugo Tognazzi, Lilla Brignone, (more)
- 1968
One of two thrillers starring Carroll Baker and directed by Umberto Lenzi, this one was released in the United States as Paranoia, the original title of the second one. Katherine West (Baker) is a wealthy alcoholic who travels to her late husband's Italian villa from New York. Soon, a slimy conman named Peter (Lou Castel) and his girlfriend Eva (Colette Descombes) move in on Katherine, taking advantage of her confused state with sex, drugs, and blackmail. One scene has the hapless Katherine served a toad for dinner, and there are some interesting moments, but this is clearly the lesser of the two films. The annoying score was composed by Piero Umiliani. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carroll Baker, Lou Castel, (more)
- 1963
In a theme which seems to have been popular at this time in Italian cinema (as in La Parmigiana, for instance), country-born-and-bred woman Daniela (Daniela Rocca) comes to the big city to look for a wealthy man. Her dream is to one day live in a penthouse, that ultimate urban symbol of having "arrived" financially. Putting her ideal before all else, even her moral standards, she goes from bad to worse as she tries to realize her dream. This otherwise routine drama is interspersed with a few comic moments and sharp observations. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniela Rocca, Tomas Milian, (more)
- 1962
This French-filmed trifle is based on the roguish character created by Ponson du Terrail. American actor Channing Pollock is Rocambole, living by wits in Paris. The film recounts his adventures as he goes from one swinging nightspot to another. Along the way, he breaks a few hearts, but holds out promise for others. A moderate success in the American art-house circuit, Rocambole did even better when released to TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Channing Pollock, Edy Vessel, (more)
In this challenging drama by Michelangelo Antonioni, his characteristic long, significant periods of silence punctuate the message that people just cannot seem to communicate with each other. Capping off Antonioni's previous two films (L'avventura and La Notte) in much the same style, this tale involves a woman, Vittoria (Monica Vitti), who has just suffered the break-up of an imperfect relationship with a staunch intellectual (Francisco Rabal). Piero (Alain Delon), a stockbroker, casts his romantic gaze in Vittoria's direction and the woman gradually relents and they begin a tentative affair. There is much to appreciate in this man who is not overly intellectual and is blessedly free of complications, and the same can be said of Vittoria. Yet their innermost fears play upon both of them in ways that go against an honest expression of their love -- and against a lasting relationship. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Monica Vitti, Alain Delon, (more)
- 1961
In this French drama, a woman preparing to take her vows to become a nun must write a letter describing her past indiscretions. She goes to a priest to confess that she had killed her former lover when she discovered that he had been sleeping with her mother. Her enraged mother gave her two options: she could become a nun, or go to prison. She chose the former, but when the convent refuses to take her, everything falls apart. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Jean-Louis Trintignant's star was just rising when he took on the role of Carlo in this engrossing wartime coming-of-age story. Carlo is a young man living in his own world and blithely inattentive to the real war that is happening not very far away. This is particularly striking because he is the son of a high-level fascist. The year is 1943 and he has gone to a seaside resort on vacation where he meets the beautiful, older widow Roberta (Eleonora Rossi Drago). Carlo is smitten and in spite of various obstacles, he and Roberta enter into a romantic liaison. Then one day Allied forces land on the coast and Carlo is faced with the realities of war and a reassessment of his life. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eleonora Rossi-Drago, Jean-Louis Trintignant, (more)
- 1956
In this heartwarming drama, the life of an Italian rice farmer involved in an unhappy marriage is chronicled. One day, he notices a familiar looking migrant in his field. Upon following the girl, he discovers that she is his illegitimate daughter. To quietly make up for his past indiscretion, he begins giving the girl many gifts, but he does not tell her who he is. Later the girl falls for an auto mechanic who gets jealous of her secret father's attention to her. This causes the father to tell the mechanic the truth; the fix it man then decides to engineer a reunion. He then goes on to save the girl from getting raped by her father's deadbeat nephew. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elsa Martinelli, Folco Lulli, (more)
- 1953
In this Italian melodrama, three Roman prostitutes suddenly find themselves on the streets when the city informs them that their brothel is to be destroyed. The story chronicles what happens to each of them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
This Italian murder mystery is set against the backdrop of an exclusive girl's school. A much-hated teacher is killed, and everyone had ample reason to commit the deed. Among the suspects are two students who'd been plotting to poison the teacher for humiliating one of their classmates. Naturally, these kids aren't the guilty parties, as inspector Nino Benzoni proves in the action-packed final reel. The film was apparently designed as a group "screen test" for several promising young starlets, none of whom went on to bigger things. The title, incidentally, translates as The Serpent's Fang. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andreina Pagnani
