La risaia

In the rice fields of northern Italy with Elsa Martinelli and Rik Battaglia

This Italian film by Raffaello Matarazzo is a kind of latecomer to the classic "Bitter Rice" (1949) with Silvana Mangano and the similar film "The Woman from the River" (1954) with ACADEMY AWARD winner Sophia Loren. Elsa Martinelli (1935-2017) completes the series of long-legged Italian actress beauties who play workers in the rice field, scantily dressed and standing in the water. The film was shot around the city of Novara in Piedmont.

The rich rice plantation owner Pietro (Folco Lulli, 1912-1970) recognizes the young Elena (Elsa Martinelli) as his illegitimate daughter, who knows nothing about him. He tries to protect her, which leads to fatal misunderstandings with his wife Adele (Lilla Brignone, 1913-1984). Pietro's nephew Mario (Koblenz-born Michel Auclair, 1922-1988) also has his eye on the beautiful woman, which of course doesn't suit her loyal car mechanic Gianni (Rik Battaglia, 1927-2015). Vivi Gioi is also on the cast list as Elena's mother.

In terms of content, the film doesn't have much new to offer. What is interesting, however, is that it was shot in color and in CinemaScope format, which was not used at all in West Germany (with the exception of "Lola Montez") at that time (because it was simply too expensive). The Italian filmmakers had relied on this new cinema format much earlier, which certainly encouraged their rise to the film industry, which was also successful worldwide from 1959 onwards.

The beautiful Elsa Martinelli was awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlinale in those years (for "Donatella") and in the following years also made a career as a Hollywood star (Hatari, 1962). The good-looking Rik Battaglia is best known (and infamous) in German-speaking countries as the murderer of Winnetou (Winnetou III, 1965).

Not a masterpiece, but definitely interesting from a film perspective!

"Pietro worshiped her. Mario wanted her. Gianni took her." So reads the newspaper publicity promoting this film when it played widely as "Rice Girl," often at drive-in theatres, alongside "Fatal Desire," the Anthony Quinn film that was made from the opera "Cavalleria Rusticana." "2 explosive motion pictures - 1 big show!" was the come-on line of the package's distributor Ultra Pictures.

The original title "La risaia" actually means 'rice field' and the movie is an obvious attempt to recapture the success of the earlier "Bitter Rice" with Silvana Mangano as the rice field worker or 'mondina' and her travails. Here she is Elena, played by Elsa Martinelli.

The reason Piero, the rice farm owner, worshiped her is because he starts out having a fatherly affection for the young beauty, and then, surprise, through some investigation, he discovers he actually IS the girl's father, by a woman he had had an affair with years earlier and then abandoned.

Mario, Pietro's nephew , wanted her, well, because he was an irredeemable low-life.

Gianni the car-tower took her, well, because he was genuinely in love with her and they became engaged.

Despite the contrivance of the whole father/daughter history, the movie manages to capture our interest. It is reasonably well performed, especially by Folco Lulli as Pietro the heavy-set dad with a sterling caring heart. Elsa Martinelli is ravishingly beautiful but never has much to do except look ravishingly beautiful or else hysterical and threatened when nearly raped by Gianni. There is one very nice scene, for me the best of the film, between Folco Lulli and Vivi Gioi, who plays the girl's mother, when Pietro finds her in order to discover the truth about the girl. Michel Auclair and Rik Battaglia as cad Mario and lover Gianni are serviceable if not distinguished in their respective roles. Veteran actress Lilla Brignone is excellent as Pietro's nasty unloving and unloved wife.

The ending has Gianni accidentally killing Mario and noble daddy taking the rap so that his daughter and her boyfriend can remain together.

"La risaia" was shot in CinemaScope and Ferraniacolor by a director, Raffaello Matarazzo, who was famous for his series of very popular soap operas that did very well at the Italian box office.

This movie is worth viewing just to observe the classic Italian beauty, Elsa Martinelli. Now that's what I call a "spicy meatball"!

The story line is pretty worn-out: spoiled rich boy loves enchanting poor girl who loves working class mechanic who wants to marry her but doesn't have "The Lira".

Senorigna Martinelli was definately "eye candy" back in the late 1950's. Next time it's on the late, late, extremely late show, check it out.