All Ladies Do It

Tinto Brass is usually referred to as either a misunderstood genius or a talentless hack. Cosi fan tutte ("All Ladies Do It") proves that he's neither one. When he doesn't take himself too seriously (which, unfortunately, he does quite often) the man is perfectly capable of creating fun, well-polished, strict entertainment. Cosi fan tutte certainly slips into the realm of pornography on occasion, but it has a sense of lightness and fun that breaks the ice and avoids real discomfort, and even, in some ways, a certain feminist sensibility (though the moral of the story shouldn't be taken as a very serious statement). It's a funny, sexy, beautifully shot erotic comedy that doesn't drag along too much and should be quite a lot of fun for open-minded couples to watch together.

I believe that this film is the best from all Tinto Brass' movies. It is funny and interesting, and, the most important, Claudia Coll is very good in that role. It is surprising to me that maestro Brass had never done anything better than this film. Most of his movies are boring, and even sex sceens don't help.

call me crass, but i preferred the higher titillation factor of "Cheeky", another anally fixated comedy from tinto brass...

although "all ladies do it" has some witty moments (when compared to say, "cheeky"), they are destroyed by the hateful dubbing... i'm sure this movie has more appeal in its native language... next time someone transfers this to a boxed set, USE SUBTITLES! there are not enough genuinely erotic or explicit moments... it teases, to be sure, but the centerpiece of the movie is distinctly uninviting... a huge carnal disco on the outskirts of town, with enough freak factor to fuel the warhol factory... unfortunately, the synthesis of 80's dance music and bopping italians may make for some good laughs, but little excitement...

the story is virtually identical to "cheeky" and "monella"... the bored wife of an "uptight" man (in brass world, anyone who doesn't get excited by his wife cheating on him) is intrigued by all the sexual tension around her, and decides to live in a state of hedonism... she does maintain that she reserves her love for her husband, but it takes awhile for him to come around to the idea...

the main male character is horrible to watch... during the sex scenes, he grits his teeth, strains his neck muscles, and basically freaks out... not something you'd like to witness...

once again, brass uses all his trademarks... mirror shots, overheads of black and white corridors, seduction in the toilet, urination, plenty of derrière, and laughable philosophy... normally i would smile and accept his vision of an impossibly ripe world, but this movie somehow disappoints, even with low expectations... some crisp and bold colours though... tinto could make a fortune filming washing powder ads...

Maestro Brass is usually considered to be either most underrated or most overrated director in Italy. "All Women Do It" is his another, most successful exercise in stylish porn, with anal fetish and ridiculous morality. Not sexy, but that, kind of, is the point.Has a certain innocent charm, but then again, nothing more than just a porn film. *

Great cinema is a matter of many elements drawn from a vocabulary, formed into a great weave.

From time to time, it is enough for me to dive into a tone poem on just one element of the vocabulary. Eroticism is inherently cinematic and the other way around as well. But it seems that as much as sex is used, it rarely seems to be simply erotic. By "simple," I mean something that may not exist in the real world, that is noninvasive and nonexploitive. That has the same purity that romance has in the date movie.

...which means it has to be shaped and conveyed with cinematic quality. Some of Brass's later films do this, I think. I like "Paprika" but that's largely because of the surrounding story, I think. Brass found a woman in a pizza shop and built the movie around her. But this may be his best in terms of cinematic values.

Its not for everyone. Female fantasies of this type are connected to bodies and for mysterious reasons we're all over the place on that. But you might look at this simply for overall effect, especially how the camera is not casual, but the woman at the center is. Tat difference is part of the engineering, and notable.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.