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Violent Summer

Play trailer Poster for Violent Summer 1959 1h 39m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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At the height of World War II in fascist Italy, spoiled young Carlo Caremoli (Jean-Louis Trintignant) enjoys a beach vacation with his friends, oblivious to world events due to the protection provided by his father, Ettore (Enrico Maria Salerno). When Carlo meets older widow and mother Roberta Parmesan (Eleonora Rossi Drago), he is smitten despite her reluctance to get involved. Carlo persists, and just as he and Roberta find happiness, the brutal reality of the war crashes in upon them.
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Violent Summer

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Like many Italian films of this era, they're more a 'slice of life' than a story per se, but this was an agreeable watch all the same. The few special effects sequences were really gripping (and probably extremely dangerous for the actors!) Violent Summer is alright, but it won't stick in the memory very long. 7.25/10 Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member I have not heard of this film until it was strongly recommended to me and I've only vaguely heard of the director. It's about a love affair between a draft-dodging son of a fascist and an older, recent widow of a respected navy officer. It at times feels like a Douglas Sirk film transplanted into an Italian World War II drama and that's a compliment. It features excellent performances between the two leads and contains some brilliantly directed scenes which made me wonder why director Valerio Zurlini isn't quite as well-known as other Italian directors Fellini, de Sica, Rossellini, etc. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Audience Member peccato, un film esteticamente importante, con un bianco e nero bellissimo e una fotografia da grande film italiano del tempo che fu: i dialoghi rasentano l'imbarazzante così come una certa tendenza a ricercare un pathos dall'esito ridicolo. Mediocre. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Visivamente bellissimo ma con qualche difetto di sceneggiatura e dialoghi. Racconta l'estate del '43 nell'ambiente altoborghese a Riccione. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member Bittersweet! No one does it like Zurlini. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Joli film Italien avec ses klishé et son élégance qui rendent nostalgique d'une époque que j'ai pas connu. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Violent Summer

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Movie Info

Synopsis At the height of World War II in fascist Italy, spoiled young Carlo Caremoli (Jean-Louis Trintignant) enjoys a beach vacation with his friends, oblivious to world events due to the protection provided by his father, Ettore (Enrico Maria Salerno). When Carlo meets older widow and mother Roberta Parmesan (Eleonora Rossi Drago), he is smitten despite her reluctance to get involved. Carlo persists, and just as he and Roberta find happiness, the brutal reality of the war crashes in upon them.
Director
Valerio Zurlini
Screenwriter
Giorgio Prosperi
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Italian
Runtime
1h 39m
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