Estate violenta

Why not make a drama that really brings home how it does affect ordinary people ... or a whole town/village. In this case it is the second world war ... I have to admit, I do not know how I would have reacted if I were one of those characters in the movie. Although I am quite certain they are not just characters but either based on real people or close to what people felt and did back then.

If that sounds like a slow paced drama/movie you are up to watch ... well go ahead and do it. Everyone else might have issues with it and how it tells its story. It's a what if ... and what would you do ... and while it may have aged, it still is poignant and apt ... and full of emotion.

After being quite impressed by the near-masterpiece comedy Zurlini made in 1954 "The Girls of San Frediano," I was very much disappointed by "Violent Summer," an overly melodramatic soap-opera made 5 years later. Too bad Zurlini couldn't restrain himself from the melodramatic overstatements that ruin the film because the cinematography couldn't be better and the young Trintignant's performance is pretty amazing.

(1959) Violent Summer/ Estate violenta (In Italian with English subtitles) WAR DRAMA

Co-written and directed by Valerio Zurlini that refers to "Violent Summer" as a metaphor of WWII that serves as a backdrop here. The opening has Carlo Caremoli (Jean Louis Trintignant) returning back to the small town of Riccione where he is visiting his peers of Daniele (Giampiero Littera), Giulio (Bruno Carotenuto), Serena (Cathia Caro), Giorgio (Raf Mattioli) and the one who has a crush on Carlo is Rossana (Jacqueline Sassard) as they all do things together such as boating and hanging out at the beach. One day as soon as a war plane flies overhead, a young girl, we find out her name is Colomba becomes scared running up to Carlo's arms. Her mother, Roberta Parmesan (Eleonora Rossi Drago) then tries to reassure her daughter, and Carlo then offers to carry them to their home. And it was at this point he becomes infatuated with her as soon as he learns she is a widow. Roberta is slightly older than him, but he still insists on seeing her much often. And then her sister-in law, Maddalena (Federica Ranchi) and brother in law, Martino show up and are offered to stay with her and her mother. And it was the result that it was under war territory, and because Maddalena is about the same age as Carlo's peers, she decided to introduce her to them.

Zurlini's Violent Summer is unlike anything else I have seen, even though I have seen nearly all of his films. The photography and the casting is near perfection with a script that is tight and unpredictable. I guess there are other stories involving frowned upon love between an older woman and a young man but they are nothing like this. The devil is in the detail in the way the film gives a sense of reality and of immense sensual beauty.

A great film from a great talent.

I just came back from the cinema after having seen the film. And all that comes to mind is -and forgive me for the level of my English- a simple ahhh! This was one of the best performances I have seen in terms of couple chemistry and the protagonist Eleonora Rossi Drago was just splendid! Pure unspoiled femininity coming out of every little move, gesture, look! The b/w photography, the directing and most of all Trintignan and Rossi Drago transform this erotic drama into a symphony of desire! And I can ask,rather bitterly, after all: where are women protagonists nowadays? And what has been done to the pure magic they radiated?