Now belatedly imported to the U. S. with subtitles for fans of story-driven porn, Mario Saleri's ambitious adaptation of Alberto Moravia's WW II-set novel that won Sophia Loren a best actress Oscar 60 years ago for De Sica's "Two Women" film version, this 3-part series has its best segment in this second part.
That's because Fascist "black shirt" Steve Holmes having his way with heroine Roberta Gemma is a classic XXX scene. Holmes' big, erect cock standing up as she services him, begrudgingly in a well-performed forced-sex scene, packs a punch, and demonstrates the auteur's avowed preference of eroticism and explicit sex staged within a story context, rather than the dominant gonzo format. She's not enjoying herself or faking the orgasmic passion that is so frequently referred to in the industry as demonstrating "chemistry" between the sex workers on screen.
Much of Part 2's other footage consists of a lengthy scene of Holmes having his way with Gemma's very young daughter, played by Rebecca Volpetti who does the usual fake passion, out of character.
Otherwise, Salieri's integration of mainstream movie look and technique with XXX content remains an indigestible mix. It frequently devolves into that old issue raised during the VHS era (and fortunately not damning during the previous 1970s Golden Age of Adult Cinema when an audience was captive in movie theaters): to fast-forward or not to fast-forward. In Salieri's case, do you jump ahead during the often dead non-sex scenes, or do you skip some of the tedium of the overlong XXX scenes? In the '70s, the total package was kept short (an hour or so in length) and the sex scenes relied on editing to be concise rather than the current half-hour or so boring standard.
Part 1 has plenty of atmosphere and fine acting by Earth Mother Gemma, plus Holmes having a threesome in a train compartment with Tiffany Doll and Melody Mae. As Volpetti's young blonde friend, Violette Pure is being humped on a stairway as silent Volpetti watches as an underage voyeuse.
Bruno SX guest stars, having sex with Volpetti in Part 3, after which a German officer ravishes the stoic Gemma. Picture ends with immense seriousness as both leading ladies and director Salieri visit a statue dedicated to the real-life Ciociara, giving the porn movie a patina of sincerity.
A very awkward structure throughout has author Moravia and his paramour Elsa Morante working on the novel with its scenes introduced sequentially by Alberto at his typewriter; ultimatlely ending the movie by Alberto and Elsa appearing in a final scene with an older (and glamorous) Volpetti aiming at pathos.
