Malicia

If you enjoy rapid-fire wit this film pleases like few others. Unfortunately some versions of English subtitles do not capture many of the best lines. There is some full frontal nudity at the end but most of the eroticism and comedy comes from two of the three brothers who are being driven crazy by the hot new maid, through no fault of her own. The youngest boy is also funny as the oblivious locomotive not interested in propriety. The father and two brothers fall in love and lust and while she is trying to be loyal to the widower dad, one of his sons cannot stop provoking and enticing her. He is also the most interesting character suffering with raging hormones, inexperience and a Machiavellian streak.

"Malizia" was a big hit in 1973 -it launched Laura Antonelli's career and established the reputation of director Salvatore Samperi, an "iconoclast" film-maker (he started "erotic" comedies, which teased Italian sexual taboos...!)

The film is not vulgar at all. It tells the story of a young maid, Angela, who works in a house for a widow and his sons. One of them will conquer, a teenanger who's discovering sexual instincts, will blackmail and conquer her...

It is a very elegant picture, superbly photographed by Vittorio Storaro. It takes place in Sicily, the family is very bourgeois and society very conservative. Samperi and screenwriter Ottavio Jemma choose to adapt this "sexual" comedy in this context, in order to create a contrast.

The film won several prices and critics praised the picture. Today "Malizia" is quite old, it is a typical Seventies movie -it was made after '68, after the breakup of many sexual and morals frontiers, it is a provocative opus, very provocative. But never vulgar, as I said. An Italian classic.

This movie epitomizes the dreams of many young bucks--having your way with the sexy nanny. I don't believe, however, that this movie should be categorized as a Comedy... it's not the kind of movie you should watch with your family, but it's a great reminder of the animal in all of us.

it has all ingredients of an Italian comedy. but it is not exactly one of them.it has the chaotic slices of Meridional life style but it is not the story of its characters. because the key is not the humor, not the eroticism but the interesting and realistic image of a teenager impulses. a film about a metamorphose. step by step. different ages, dark humor drops, few beautiful scenes and seductive atmosphere. nothing special but useful for a style for discover the life as a form of adventure. a film who preserves the flavor of its period and gives a right definition about the eroticism in a time who dreams revolution. and a good performance by Alessandre Momo.

Cult film that despite its fame did not strike me very much indeed I found the relationship between the young scion of the family and the housekeeper too morbid, especially since hers will end up marrying her father.