A bubbly romantic comedy shot through with softcore commingling and a soupçon of gender politics, the full title of Italian director Lina Wertmüller's 1986 film is Summer Night with Greek Profile, Almond Eyes and Scent of Basil. Trying to strike back at the backwater Sicilian terrorists who have made a mockery of the Milanese elite by blackmailing them for millions of dollars in ransom money, ice queen eco-industrialist Fulvia (Mariangela Melato) does the criminals one better when she arranges the kidnapping of their leader Giuseppe “Beppe” Catania (Michele Placido) with the help of the shady, vulture-like ex-Special Forces agent Cantalamessa (Roberto Herlitzka). Keeping Catania holed up in her opulent, secluded villa, Fulvia finds the tables being turned on her when she begins harboring sexual feelings for her repugnant captive. The culmination of her longing arrives when, after having Catania bound in chains and donned in a zippered domino mask, she fulfills his request to supply him with a trio of sexual partners…and then quietly joins in on the fray. While Wertmüller's script doesn't add any fresh insights into the push-and-pull mechanics of romantic magnetism, the film does feature numerous comedic exchanges and situations, ending on a pleasingly wry, screwball note. Extras include a booklet with an essay by film critic Simon Abrams. Recommended. (J. Cruz)
Summer Night
Kino Lorber, 103 min., in Italian w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $19.99, Blu-ray: $29.99 Volume 33, Issue 1
Summer Night
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: