[FilmReview]IKnewHerWell(1965)7.9/10

AdefinitehighlightofItalianfilmmakerAntonioPietrangeli’scareer,onwhichwouldbetragicallyputakiboshbyhisuntimelydeathin1968,inreality,peopledodieofdrowningafterfallingoffacliff.IKNEWHERWELLcontinueshisstreakofstrongfemalepresentation,firstandforemost,itisastoryaboutaprelapsariancountrysideItaliangirlAdriana(a19-year-oldSandrelliuncannilylikensalusciousTaylorSwift),whojauntilypursuesherstar-makingdreaminthecapitalcity.Pietrangeliandhisco-writersconfigurealooselychronologicalandepisodicnarrativedetailingtheinteractionsbetweenAdrianaandasmorgasbordofmalecharacters,fromboyfriends,bedfellows,exploiterstosympathetichave-nots,scathinglyrefractsthesprawlingturpitudeinfestingtheshowbiz,thatayoungandunsophisticatedAdrianaisalwaysgiventheshortendofthestick,canneverfallinlovewiththerightguy,andoccasionalsparklingofkindnessdimsquicklysinceitisjustnottherighttime,andthefilmx27;sostensiblydisengagedobservationgiveswaytoanabruptkickerintheend,whereadysphoria-strickenAdrianatakesaradicalsteptopurgeherprofounddisillusionoutofherexistence.Wonderfullyconcatenatingmanifoldvignettesintoacogentcasestudypertainingtothedisintegrationofastarlet-to-bex27;spipedream(oftenmeldperfectlywithera-specifictuneageanddancingroutines),Pietrangelienlistsaswellgroupofmulti-nationalsupportingactors,nativesManfredi(unscrupulous),Salerno(pompous),Fabrizi(smarmy),Nero(four-square),joinedbyaFrench(Brialy),aGerman(Fuchsberger),anAustrian(Hoffman)andaSwiss(Adorf)tobolsterthemainstay,amongwhom,UgoTagnazzibrilliantlystealsthelimelightwithhisbackbreakingtapdanceandabjectlyobsequiousattitudeasastrugglinghas-been.Asourleadinglady,Sandrelliisdefactoaphenomenalwet-behind-the-earsingénue,butalsoexcelsinbringingaboutapalpablestrengthofintegrityanddefiancethatiswellbeyondherage,yet,moreoftenthannot,emanatesaghostofmelancholiaevenwhenhijinksareinfullswing.Unequivocallyevokesayounggirl’sversionofFellini’sLADOLCEVITA,IKNEWHERWELLisanunalloyedItalianhiddengemexhumedfromnearobscuritywithitsshimmeringamalgamationofvintagestyle,unaffectedpoignancyandincisiveself-mockery.companionpieces:Pietrangeli’sHUNGRYFORLOVE(1960,7.0/10);FedericoFellinix27;sLADOLCEVITA(1960,9.3/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。