Love and Anarchy (Film d’amore e d’anarchia)

Wednesday 12 May at 7.30pm

Lina Wertmüller│Italy│1973│120 mins│R18

When a friend is murdered by the Fascists, a farmer turned anarchist takes residence in a Roman brothel as he and a sympathetic sex worker plan to assassinate Mussolini.

“It’s Italy just before the outbreak of World War II, as Tunin (Giancarlo Giannini), a scruffy freckle-faced country boy and anarchist, arrives in Rome and settles into a brothel, disguised as the cousin of one of the prostitutes Salomè (Mariangela Melato), who, unknown to her co-workers, is actually a vengeance-minded (her anarchist boyfriend was beaten to death by the fascists) accomplice in Tunin’s plan to assassinate fascist leader Mussolini, which will almost certainly lead to his death. Things grow increasingly complicated however as Salomè watches with growing concern as Tunin begins falling passionately in love with the young wide-eyed Tripolina (Lina Polito), perhaps finding a reason to keep on living.” – Douglas Buck, Off Screen