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"Malena"
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By Mira Harber
Malena
(Monica Belluci) was just too gorgeous for her own good. She didn't know
how to kow-tow to the women of the village, and the men couldn't resist
her voluptuous beauty. As she walked to and from her home running, or should
I say swaying, on a variety of errands each clingy dress she wears shows
off her bodacious assets … Hey, I didn't write it, I just saw it.
Malena
is a coming of age story about a 14-year-old boy living in a small town
in war-torn Sicily, in 1942. It's a less kind, less sweet, meaner Italian
version of Summer of '42.
At the
film's start Malena's husband goes to war and leaves luscious young woman
at home alone to await his return. Here's where the trouble starts. As
she waits, more and more of the townsmen find her irrestible. At the same
time, their wives find her more and more detestable. Eventually she is
widowed, and descends into poverty and misfortune.
Although
every man in town lusts after Malena, the only one who really understands
her is the love struck 14-year-old, Renato Amaroso (Giuseppe Sulfaro).
He secretly follows her everywhere on his bicycle and we see most of this
through his pubescent eyes. He steals her underwear, buys a record of sappy
music that she likes - he is in love with love. Malena is the yardstick
by which he will measure all women.
I thought
that it was average at best, once you get beyond the sepia-toned prettiness
of it.
Ms. Belluci
is certainly a babe, and she's made up to look just like a young Ava Gardiner.
As she descends into the depths of degradation, we're never really given
a chance to see inside the woman, to feel or understand her emotions and
actions. The only time we ever see her smile is at a Nazi officer.
If you
want to see some gorgeous photography of a small, Sicilian seaside town,
a fair bit of the luscious Miss Belluci in various states of undress, and
aren't too interested in a fully fleshed-out, honest story, then this is
the film for you. |
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