I’d not heard of Love And Anarchy (1973; Film d’amore e d’anarchia, ovvero: stamattina alle 10, in via dei Fiori, nella nota casa di tolleranza..) until Lewis Rice O’Donnell talked about it. Directed by Lina Wertmüller and set during the 1930s, it’s about a fuzz-faced yokel named Tunin (Giancarlo Giannini) who travels to the city in order to assassinate Benito Mussolini. His contact is a sex worker in a brothel Salomè (Mariangela Melato) who is part of the Anarchist underground. While hiding out and counting down the days to a public speech by Mussolini where the murder will occur, Tunin also finds himself falling for another employee at the brothel, Tripolina (Lina Polito). A ribald comedy in the first half, politics and emotions step more into the forefront as the trio wrestle with their conflicting causes and hopes. Even though it almost feels like a bawdier, jokey answer to something serious like The Conformist, it has a solemn impact in its finale, a tribute to those who gave it all up to fight fascism (“Long live anarchy!”). Great performances with some sublime lighting, set design, and set pieces. Music by Nina Rota and Carlo Savina. Recommended.
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