Comizi d'amore (1964)

Microphone in hand, Pier Paolo Pasolini asks Italians to talk about sex: he asks children where babies come from, young and old women if they are men's equals, men and women if a woman's ... See full summary »

Director:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Stars:

Lello Bersani, Alberto Moravia, Cesare Musatti

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lello Bersani	...	Narrator (voice)
Alberto Moravia	...	Himself
Cesare Musatti	...	Himself

Storyline

Microphone in hand, Pier Paolo Pasolini asks Italians to talk about sex: he asks children where babies come from, young and old women if they are men's equals, men and women if a woman's virginity matters, how they view homosexuals, how sex and honor connect, if divorce should be legal, and if they support closing the brothels (the Merlina Act). He periodically checks in with Alberto Moravia and Cesare Musatti. Bersani is intrusive and judgemental, prodding those who answer. The film's thesis: despite the booming post-war economy, Italians' attitudes toward sex are either rigidly Medieval (the poor and the South) or muddled and self-censoring (the bourgeoisie and the North).

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Plot Keywords:

sex | italian | virginity | brothel | sexism | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

23 July 1982 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Assembly of Love

Filming Locations:

Naples, Campania, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arco Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into Lo schermo a tre punte (1995)

User Reviews

Interesting document of time and place

Saw this beautifully preserved/restored print, with subtitles, via YouTube. Pasolini, with his reputation for political and every other form of radicalism, seems inhibited here, even in the discussion segments with Alberto Moravia and Cesare Musatti. The man-and-woman (and children, students)-in-the-street-and-on-the-farm interviews seem dated, probably since the interviews were conducted on the cusp of major changes in marital and family laws, policies, sexual attitudes in Italy and elsewhere. While no groundbreaking documentary, it's still a fascinating document of the time and place. A more daring and cinematically imaginative treatment of similar themes is found in, of course, "I am Curious (Yellow)"(1967) and "I am Curious(Blue)"(1968), directed by Vilgot Sjoman (a former UCLA film student). In those days there were things you could do in Sweden, albeit with censorship problems, that were simply impossible in Italy, period.