The Nymph

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")