Ninfa plebea

In the World War II, in a small Italian village, Nunziata (Stefania Sandrelli) is an easy woman married with the cuckold tailor Gioacchino (Ennio Coltorti). Her teenage daughter Miluzza (Lucia Cara) teases men with her clothes and gets men to lust after her.

One day, Nunziata dies while having intercourse with an Italian Corporal at home, and Miluzza finds a job in the factory of the wealthy Don Peppe (Pepe Da Rosa) that rapes her. When Miluzza returns home, she learns that Gioacchino has died in the afternoon. Soon there are rumors that Miluzza had an affair with Don Peppe, but her grandfather protects her.

Then Miluzza's village is bombed, her grandpa dies and she moves to another town to live with a friend. When she finds the Italian soldier Pietro (Raoul Bova) wounded in the leg in her house, Miluzza saves his life and helps him to return to his family. Pietro proposes to marry her, but her mother wants to prove that Miluzza is virgin before blessing the marriage of her son.

I saw "Ninfa Plebea" for the first time on VHS on 17 May 2003 and I was disappointed with this movie by the great Italian director Lina Wertmüller. First because the amateurish lead actress Lucia Cara is too weak, keeping a cynical smile most of the time and also because there are unnecessary scatological scenes. Today I have just seen it again to reevaluate this story of war, lust, love and tradition, and I liked a little more, but not enough to list this movie among the best of Lina Wertmüller. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Ninfeta Italiana" ("Italian Nymph")

This movie shows the social dilemma of an abused girl, showing how easily she is victimized, how unaware she is, and how society gives her little chance to escape her role. It does not overplay her role as a victim, and it condemns no individual, only society.

The "nymph" in this story is the daughter of a prostitute and while I didn't find this particularly offensive, the whole idea of EVERYONE around the girl touching, talking about and staring at the girl's genitalia certainly did. I have no idea how old this girl actually was (physically, she looked about 13 or 14), but seeing her completely naked was very disconcerting--so much so that I turned off the film midway through it. Now I am sure that many out there might find my attitudes very "bourgeoise" and old fashioned (there's a lot of truth to this), but I also used to be a psychotherapist specializing in working with sexual abuse victims. In light of this, seeing an underage girl being this sexualized just seemed very inappropriate and sick. Now this ISN'T to say that the topic is a problem--just the way it was handled--there is definitely something to be said about a little discretion. My complaints aren't just a slam against director Lina Wertmüller's leftist bent (after all, I loved many of her other films). From what I saw, the film seemed pretty well made, but also excessively crass and disturbing. I just can't recommend it.

I began viewing this with trepidation as I'd read a review previously and it sounded if would be a doom and gloom sort of film from beginning to end. While there were dark moments which resulted from the natural course of events during the film, I found the characters to be rich and enjoyable and ones you could really care for. Lucia Cara who played Miluzza was a delight and one could easily fall in love with her and her character. She's a beauty who sparkles. In fact, she IS the film as far as I'm concerned. Apparently she has been in only one other film which I have not yet seen but hopefully there will be many more future films with her in them.

I spent the 2 hours last Saturday evening watching this film (part of a Wertmueller collection I'd purchase a couple of years ago), and when it was over I sat longer in stunned silence, savoring the beautiful film and touching story I'd just been engaged with. Gorgeous scenery and photography, colorful settings, fine acting and ensemble, a touching, even if troubling, story. Yes, this film may be difficult for more sensitive viewers, especially Americans, who are not the most comfortable with bodily functions and casual sexuality. After all, we live in a culture that won't allow a parent to spank their own child, and where a teacher has to make sure another adult is in the room when holding a conference with a student, etc. We've become increasingly distanced from natural affections and physicality, and that's very unlike the characters in this movie, But the Director was not seeking to make a film that would provide titillation as regards young girls, and I'm a gay male with no interest in youngsters, male or female. Rather, she has told a poignant and sometimes wrenching tale of WWII Italy and the tribulations of the child of a "whore" and what she comes to face amongst the difficulties of a society affected by warfare and privation, the attitudes to be found in smaller towns, the assumptions about herself that she has to defeat and her ability to triumph despite it all. Yes, some of the scenes are a bit surprising (I won't say "shocking"), but I never felt as if I was viewing pornography, soft or otherwise. I always felt that the director was seeking to make a point about the figures in her story, and I was left with an overwhelming joy at the basic humanity and "realness" of the characters. I even at first thought the plot may have been taken from a story by Guy de Maupassant, so lovely was its focus on real people, warts and all, without any sign of being judgmental. Please don't allow any misgivings to dissuade you from seeing this film (although you probably won't want to watch it with your kids), I think you will be glad you did when you reach the end.