''Love and Anarchy'' ( it, Film d'amore e d'anarchia, ovvero: stamattina alle 10, in via dei Fiori, nella nota casa di tolleranza..., lit=Film of love and anarchy, or rather: this morning at 10, in via dei Fiori, in the well-known brothel ...) is a 1973 Italian film directed by

Lina Wertmüller Arcangela Felice Assunta Wertmüller von Elgg Spanol von Braueich (14 August 1928 – 9 December 2021), known as Lina Wertmüller (), was an Italian film director and screenwriter. She is best known for her 1970s art house films '' Seven Beaut ...

and starring Giancarlo Giannini and Mariangela Melato. The story, set in Fascist Italy before the outbreak of World War II, centers on Giannini's character, an

anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessari ...

who stays in a brothel while preparing to assassinate

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in ...

. Giannini's character falls in love with one of the women working in the brothel. This film explores the depths of his emotions concerning love, his hate for

fascism Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and th ...

, and his fears of being killed while assassinating Mussolini. ''Love and Anarchy'' was nominated for the

Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...

at the

1973 Cannes Film Festival The 26th Cannes Film Festival was held from 10 to 25 May 1973. The Grand Prix du Festival International du Film went to ''Scarecrow'' by Jerry Schatzberg and ''The Hireling'' by Alan Bridges. At this festival two new non-competitive sections were ...

and Giannini was awarded

Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to th ...

Plot

The film begins with Tunin ( Giancarlo Giannini) learning that his friend, an anarchist who was plotting to kill

, has been killed by Mussolini's fascist police in the countryside. Tunin decides to take up the cause his friend died for. The movie then shows Tunin entering a brothel in Rome and meeting Salomè ( Mariangela Melato), and the two have a casual sexual encounter. Salomè explains her reasons for helping in the assassination plot as her former lover was wrongfully beaten to death by Mussolini's police in Milan. The story continues as Salomè arranges for her, Tunin and Tripolina (

Lina Polito Lina Polito (born 24 August 1954) is an Italian actress. Born in Naples, Polito started her career on stage with Eduardo De Filippo. She made her film debut in 1973, with Lina Wertmüller's '' Love and Anarchy'', and for this performance she w ...

), another prostitute at the brothel, to spend the day with Spatoletti ( Eros Pagni), the head of Mussolini's police. The four of them go to the countryside near Rome where the assassination will take place in a few days' time. Salomè keeps Spatoletti busy while Tunin scouts out the area and makes a plan. Tunin takes an interest, however, in Tripolina, and they fall in love. Tunin convinces Tripolina to spend the next two days with him before the assassination as he fears they may be his last. On the morning of the assassination, Tripolina is supposed to wake Tunin early. She loves him and is scared he will die so she decides she will not wake him. Tripolina and Salomè argue about this and what to do but in the end they decide to let him sleep. Tunin wakes up and is furious at both of them, and he goes into a tirade that draws the attention of the police. He starts a shootout with them and screams that he wants to kill Mussolini. He is captured and beaten to death by the police. The film ends the way it began showing the full title of the film "Stamattina alle 10, in via dei Fiori, nella nota casa di tolleranza..." ''This morning at 10, on Via dei Fiori (Flowers Street), in a noted brothel'' which is the headline of an unnamed newspaper. The article, displaying fascist censorship, states that Tunin (who is unnamed) was arrested and then took his own life.

Cast

* Giancarlo Giannini as Antonio Soffiantini 'Tunin' * Mariangela Melato as Salomè *

as Tripolina * Eros Pagni as Giacinto Spatoletti * Pina Cei as Madame Aida * Elena Fiore as Donna Carmela * Giuliana Calandra * Isa Bellini as Zoraide * Isa Danieli as Prostitute * Enrica Bonaccorti as Prostitute *

Anna Bonaiuto Anna Bonaiuto (born 28 January 1950) is an Italian actress. She has appeared in 48 films and television shows since 1973. She starred in ''L'amore molesto ''Nasty Love'' ( it, L'amore molesto) (released in the United States as ''Troubling L ...

as Prostitute * Anita Branzanti as Prostitute * Maria Sciacca as Prostitute *

Anna Melato Anna Melato (born 18 May 1952 in Milan) is an Italian actress, singer and voice actor. She sang Nino Rota's Canzone arrabbiata and El Tunin. She is the sister of Mariangela Melato. She currently resides in Rome. Filmography * ''Love and Ana ...

as Prostitute * Gea Linchi as Prostitute * Anna Stivala as Prostitute * Roberto Herlitzka as Paulasso

Production notes

Giancarlo Giannini starred in three other films Wertmuller made during this period: '' The Seduction of Mimi'', '' Swept Away'', and '' Seven Beauties''.

English version

For the initial American release, editor Fima Noveck created a prologue which featured a montage of photos of Mussolini, along with a crawl explaining his rise to power and the violent activities sanctioned in his name during his reign. Also, in this edit, the full Italian title is not displayed, in favor of the abbreviated English title ''Love and Anarchy''.

References

External links