BLOOD FEUD

Several years ago, Lina Wertmuller directed “Love and Anarchy” (1973), a tragicomedy set in the time of Mussolini's rise to power. Her latest film, BLOOD FEUD returns to those years and the “Black Shirts” emerge again, but this time in the context of a farce. The story concerns a widow (Sophia Loren) whose husband has been murdered for the convenience of the local baron, and her quest for justice in Mafia-dominated Sicily. She attracts two allies – a Socialist lawyer (Marcello Mastroianni) and a Prohibitionist-era gangster (Giancarlo Giannini), both recently returned to their native village. Both men quickly discover the chink in the widow's armor of rage: Any gallant who, braving her venomous tongue and clawing nails, concentrates on removing her outer garments will be rewarded with an encounter that surpasses his most lustful expectations. Wertmuller's most notable previous works include “The Seduction of Mimi” (1972), “Swept Away” (1974) and “Seven Beauties” (1976). “…sensual and entertaining. . .a ravishing movie.” – The New Yorker