Ninfeta Italiana

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.

My estimation of this movie puts it ahead of Somewhere in Time, The English Patient and a host of other quality romance films. For you who are cloistered in your views of the human form, human contact and sexuality - you may be offended by how frank and casual this film deals with its protagonist. If you are willing to step outside of your cultural context and explore what life may have been like in an early 20th century rural Italian village, please do watch this film. I cannot praise it enough.

The innocence and gentleness of Miluzza strains the heart as you watch her progression through the story arc. Men are lured in by her sculpted body but disarmed by her smile. And then there's her eyes - sadness and joy flash lightning quick. The style of acting is so natural - I wish the studios would take notice. This film lacks the artifice of so many "dramatic" films. It doesn't need a multi-million dollar film score to move you. It doesn't require dramatic lighting and innovative camera angles to tell you that you're supposed to be feeling something.

Students of cinema and drama should take note at the art of subtlety and restraint this film manifests so effortlessly.

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 thought this movie about sexual adventure of a woman who are NOT satisfied, as the english title is" Nymph" . even in start of the movie it feels like there would be alot unfaithful sex scenes , But nope. there is nothing like that.

A movie or story of a GIRL who found a LOVE in very hard , cruel time of war and family. a girl whose mother is unfaithful to husband , it could change her life but its not, the innocent little one still looking for Love.

A good italian movie of mid 90s. good performance also. worth it.

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")