Love & Anarchy (1973)

When a friend is murdered by the Facists, a melancholy farmer takes up residence in a Roman brothel as he and an anarchist prostitute plot to assassinate Mussolini.

Director:

Lina Wertmüller

Writer:

Lina Wertmüller

Stars:

Giancarlo Giannini, Mariangela Melato, Eros Pagni

4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Antonio Soffiantini 'Tunin'
Mariangela Melato	...	Salomè
Eros Pagni	...	Giacinto Spatoletti
Pina Cei	...	Madame Aïda
Elena Fiore	...	Donna Carmela
Giuliana Calandra
Isa Bellini
Isa Danieli	...	Prostitute
Enrica Bonaccorti	...	Prostitute
Anna Bonaiuto	...	Prostitute
Anita Branzanti	...	Prostitute
Maria Sciacca	...	Prostitute
Anna Melato	...	Prostitute
Gea Linchi	...	Prostitute
Anna Stivala	...	Prostitute

Storyline

Determined to continue where his friend left off, Tunin, a freckled peasant anarchist, arrives in Rome with the intention to assassinate Benito Mussolini. Under those circumstances, the resolute idealist will be welcomed in the town's first-rate brothel as the cousin of his contact, the devoted revolutionary, Salomè, who works there as a prostitute. However, things will soon get complicated, when Tunin who falls in love with one of the girls, the young Tripolina, will find himself on the verge of failure, torn between ideals and passion. Will the love-smitten patriot succeed in his cause?

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Plot Keywords:

prostitute | brothel | anarchist | italy | f rated | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

22 February 1973 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Amor y anarquía

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Euro International Film (EIA), Labrador Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Madame Aïda: I've seen many end up on the sidewalk of love.
Tripolina: It doesn't matter.
Madame Aïda: Stupid idiot. Loser. You'll believe anything. Still believe in Santa Claus, eh? Isn't it enough at your age to be a prostitute in this whorehouse?

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Alternate Versions

For the initial American release, editor Fima Noveck created a prologue which featured a montage of photos of Mussolini, along with a crawl explaining his rise to power and the violent activities sanctioned in his name during his reign.

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Connections

References The Sheik (1921)

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Soundtracks

Ninna Nanna
Written by Nino Rota
Performed by Isa Danieli

User Reviews

To live like a dog or to die like a dog?

To live like a dog or to die like a dog? It is an elemental question hovering above the head of a disaffected but weak-minded farmer Tunin (Giannini), after his anarchist friend being murdered by fascist police, he decisively joins the anarchist camp, and takes up his dead friend's cause, to kill Benito Mussolini. He arrives in Rome, and contacts his comrade Salomè (Melato), a premier prostitute in a brothel, who will assist to carry out his assassin plan. During a location scout with the unsuspecting Spatoletti (Pagni), the head of Mussolini's police division, Tunin falls for a young working girl Tripolina (Polito), will the mutually spontaneous romance spoil Tunin's determination of his action? Or, does it matter?

LOVE AND ANARCHY is Wertmüller's seventh feature, which debuted in Cannes in competition and won Giannini BEST ACTOR award. It is the second teamwork for Wertmüller, Giannini and Mariangela Melato, after THE SEDUCTION OF MIMI (1972), and they would try a third time in SWEPT AWAY (1974) one year later.

Freckle-faced, disheveled, Tunin is an honest but slow-witted countryside man, hasn't been to seaside before, he is not even a radical anarchist, but avenging the death of his friend, is the only thing he knows that can prove his worth, whether or not it is a suicidal mission. Fear is something he has to battle everyday, Giannini registers a viscerally soul-pulverising performance as Tunin, downplays his masculine charm and portrays him as a sympathetic, the salt of the earth sort, a cog in the machine, but radiates with those attributes what make human human. Mariangela Melato's Salomé, a spitfire driven by her own scores against the repressing government, is also superbly thrilling to behold, her piercing look, gravelly voice, worldly-wise flamboyance, and her unabashed camaraderie and affection towards Tunin, leaves a searing impact afterwards. A then 19-year-old Polito, a debutante in her full-fledged flapper outfit, thrusts herself into a more rational attempt to save her lover, only to no avail.

Wertmüller's resplendent depiction of the Italian brothel is certainly inspired by aesthetics of Fellini school, and her taste for music is admirably impeccable as well, whether it is classical pieces like Debussy's CLAIRE DE LUNE, or the catchy French ditty LA PETITE TONKINOISE by Vincent Scotto, together with Nino Rota's sentimentally melodious score, emotionality and vivacity are eternally among the national spirits running in the Mediterranean blood of Italian people, not even the ominous subject matter and demoralising situation can change its tonality.

Less heralded than Wermüller and Giannini's most acclaimed collaboration SEVEN BEAUTIES (1975), which earned both Oscar nominations (yes, Wermüller is the first woman who has even been nominated for BEST DIRECTOR), LOVE AND ANARCHY is no less a fine-crafted equivalent which speaks loud about its filmmakers' political slant and an outstanding melodrama can transfix its audience without compromising its thematic tragic.