Estate Violenta
Encyclopedia
Estate violenta is a 1959
Italian
award-winning black-and-white
drama
film directed by Valerio Zurlini
, depicting a love affair between a young draft-dodging son of a prominent Fascist, portrayed by Jean Louis Trintignant, and a navy officer's widow older than he, portrayed by Eleonora Rossi Drago
. It is set in Italian seaside resort Riccione
in July 1943, around the time of the dismissal of Benito Mussolini
during the Allied invasion of Sicily
in World War II
. Estate violenta is Zurlini's second feature film, with which he made his name as film director.
) disapproves this new acquaintance and urges her to stay away from Carlo, partly because of his father, Ettore Caremoli (Enrico Maria Salerno
), who has been a brutal Fascist. Meanwhile, Maddalena (Federica Ranchi), a young sister of Roberta's deceased husband, arrives from Catanzaro, fleeing the impending war. Maddalena spends time with Carlo's friends, and Roberta together with her is invited to a circus. However, the show is interrupted by an air raid blackout, and the friends proceed to a night party at Carlo's villa. After watching flares in the night sky, the men and women form couples and start dancing to a record of Temptation
, Carlo with his girlfriend Rosanna (Jacqueline Sassard
) and Roberta with a much younger boy. The camera cuts between Carlo and Roberta, glaring at each other passionately. Carlo asks Roberta's hand for the next dance, and the couple ends up kissing in the garden, which deeply hurts Rosanna. The next day Roberta initially refuses to admit her feelings to him, but ultimately accedes. Meanwhile, on July 25 the news of Mussolini's ouster was announced. Carlo and Roberta continue to go out on dates. However, Carlo's father is forced to flee, and his villa is confiscated. Carlo meets Roberta once again and spends a night with her, provoking discontent of her mother. Maddalena decides to leave. During a curfew a patrol discovers the couple on the beach and founds out that Carlo's military ID has expired. As his father has fled, he has no chance to renew it anymore. Roberta proposes to hide at her villa in Rovigo
, and the next morning they take a train. However, during the trip the tracks are bombed by the Allies, and the couple barely escape death. After the air raid, Roberta gets back on the train, but Carlo refuses to join her until the war is over, and they part as the train leaves.
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
award-winning black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
film directed by Valerio Zurlini
Valerio Zurlini
Valerio Zurlini was an Italian film director, stage director and screenwriter.-Biography:During his law studies in Rome, he started working in the theatre. In 1943, he joined the Italian resistance. Zurlini became a member of the Italian Communist Party...
, depicting a love affair between a young draft-dodging son of a prominent Fascist, portrayed by Jean Louis Trintignant, and a navy officer's widow older than he, portrayed by Eleonora Rossi Drago
Eleonora Rossi Drago
Eleonora Rossi Drago, born Palmira Omiccioli, was an Italian film actress. She was born in Quinto al Mare, Genoa, Italy....
. It is set in Italian seaside resort Riccione
Riccione
Riccione is a comune in the Province of Rimini, Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. As of 2007 Riccione had an estimated population of 34,868.-History:...
in July 1943, around the time of the dismissal of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
during the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Estate violenta is Zurlini's second feature film, with which he made his name as film director.
Plot
Carlo Caremoli (Trintignant) arrives in Riccione and enjoys life together with his friends at his father's villa. Riccione is still peaceful, and only few things remind about the war fought in the south. On seaside holiday, the youth witness a German fighter flying low over the beach and causing panic among the crowd. Carlo tries to protect a frightened little girl who runs towards him and meets her mother Roberta, a navy officer's widow (Rossi Drago). He helps her to take the girl home. Carlo is attracted to Roberta, often meets her and even has a trip with her to San Marino, although Roberta's mother (Lilla BrignoneLilla Brignone
Lilla Brignone was an Italian film and theater actress. She appeared in 40 films between 1930 and 1982.-Selected filmography:* Abbiamo vinto! * Estate Violenta * Ghosts of Rome...
) disapproves this new acquaintance and urges her to stay away from Carlo, partly because of his father, Ettore Caremoli (Enrico Maria Salerno
Enrico Maria Salerno
Enrico Maria Salerno was an Italian theatre & film actor, also a film director. He was also the voice of Clint Eastwood in the Italian version of Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy films, and the voice of Christ in The Gospel According to St...
), who has been a brutal Fascist. Meanwhile, Maddalena (Federica Ranchi), a young sister of Roberta's deceased husband, arrives from Catanzaro, fleeing the impending war. Maddalena spends time with Carlo's friends, and Roberta together with her is invited to a circus. However, the show is interrupted by an air raid blackout, and the friends proceed to a night party at Carlo's villa. After watching flares in the night sky, the men and women form couples and start dancing to a record of Temptation
Temptation (1933 song)
"Temptation" is a popular song, published in 1933, with music written by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed. The song was used in the film Singin' in the Rain and later in the 1983 musical based on the film, and is prominently featured in Valerio Zurlini's Violent Summer .The song was...
, Carlo with his girlfriend Rosanna (Jacqueline Sassard
Jacqueline Sassard
Jacqueline Sassard is an actress best known for appearances in Italian films such as Guendalina directed by Alberto Lattuada, a young woman with family and economical troubles in Luigi Zampa's Il Magistrato and Valerio Zurlini's Violent Summer , in which her character was left by Jean Louis...
) and Roberta with a much younger boy. The camera cuts between Carlo and Roberta, glaring at each other passionately. Carlo asks Roberta's hand for the next dance, and the couple ends up kissing in the garden, which deeply hurts Rosanna. The next day Roberta initially refuses to admit her feelings to him, but ultimately accedes. Meanwhile, on July 25 the news of Mussolini's ouster was announced. Carlo and Roberta continue to go out on dates. However, Carlo's father is forced to flee, and his villa is confiscated. Carlo meets Roberta once again and spends a night with her, provoking discontent of her mother. Maddalena decides to leave. During a curfew a patrol discovers the couple on the beach and founds out that Carlo's military ID has expired. As his father has fled, he has no chance to renew it anymore. Roberta proposes to hide at her villa in Rovigo
Rovigo
Rovigo is a town and comune in the Veneto region of North-Eastern Italy, the capital of the eponymous province. -Geography:...
, and the next morning they take a train. However, during the trip the tracks are bombed by the Allies, and the couple barely escape death. After the air raid, Roberta gets back on the train, but Carlo refuses to join her until the war is over, and they part as the train leaves.
Awards
- Mar del Plata Film FestivalMar del Plata Film FestivalThe Mar del Plata International Film Festival is an international film festival that takes place every November in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina...
: Best Actress (Eleonora Rossi Drago). - Nastro d'ArgentoNastro d'ArgentoThe Nastro d'Argento is a movie award assigned each year, since 1946, for cinematic performances and production by Sindacato Nazionale dei Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani, the association of Italian film critics...
: Best Actress (Eleonora Rossi Drago), Best Score (Mario Nascimbene).