TENDERLY a.k.a. THE GIRL WHO COULDN'T SAY NO is a personal favorite. It's an Italian comedy, just prior to the explosion of "sexploitation" comedies from that region that became internationally popular in the early '70s, but TENDERLY is not one of those. It deals with sex, certainly, but there is no nudity and no graphic depictions of sex are on display. It is, however, quite unique, to the point that some viewers may deem it bizarre.
The story concerns Franco (George Segal) and Yolanda (Virna Lisi), who grew up together as best friends. Franco, as a boy, told Yolanda that he loves her and that they would always be together. As the two grow into young adults, Franco attends a prestigious medical school, while Yolanda chooses to embark on a series of misadventures and takes a string of lovers. Their lives converge repeatedly, as Yolanda tends to show up in Franco's life without warning, so that they may continue their romantic (albeit very sporadic) life-long affair. These visits often complicate Franco's life, as he has a very tight and strict schedule (particularly when he becomes a professional doctor), but cannot refuse Yolanda when she shows up out of the blue, somehow more radiant and attractive than the time before. When Franco gets married to another woman because Yolanda won't commit to him, her random visits get more troublesome than ever.
Director Franco Brusati went on to helm the brilliant BREAD AND CHOCOLATE (1973), which won the Best Foreign Film Oscar. He is a very talent filmmaker, and his work on TENDERLY certainly showcases his abilities. It is a stylish, fast-paced, and at times hilarious movie, owing largely to the comedic talents of the great George Segal. While Virna Lisi has some funny moments, her Yolanda's primary function seems to be to titillate, but it's amusing how oblivious she is to Franco's plight whenever she appears at the worst possible time. The supporting cast is terrific as well, many of them providing some truly hilarious moments. The film's humor covers a lot of ground, including some jarringly dark comedy (the nature of which I wouldn't dream of spoiling here). For the most part, however, it's a cute, light-weight affair, and it's hard to imagine the mentality of someone who would find any aspect of it offensive (although anyone angered by the idea of someone cheating on their spouse will want to stay clear of this... and most of Segal's other similarly-themed '70s output, for that matter).
ABOUT THE MOVIE'S AVAILABILITY: This one is very difficult to find. I spent years tracking it down before I finally came upon a bootleg with mediocre video quality, from a website that no longer exists. I keep hoping that it will surface on DVD or (preferably) Blu-ray. Sadly, as of this writing, George Segal has passed away very recently. As a huge fan of his work I hope that some of his best and most neglected films start appearing on Blu-ray (LOVING, THE TERMINAL MAN, BLUME IN LOVE, BORN TO WIN, etc.), and TENDERLY is a film deserving of inclusion in that list. It really is a fine, funny movie, and I sincerely hope that anyone who's interested in seeing it is fortunate in their search for a copy.
