La fille du fleuve

In this film Sophia Loren was still very young and outrageously sensual, and no role could have been more suitable for her at that age than this one, where she has the opportunity to act out all her assets, both sensual, dramatic, gripping and tragic - her maturity is striking. It begins as a trivial comedy, she works in a fishing factory on the east coast, while most men are after her, especially the adventurous smuggler Gino, who proves risky. She resists him as long as possible, but the way he acts and uses force makes it impossible for her not to get caught in a trap of destiny.

The story unfolds in the great Italian neo-realistic fashion, the story could have been a subject for Vittorio de Sica or Visconti, the atmosphere is the same as in "Bicycle Thieves" and other down to earth Italian dramas at the time, and although you are sceptical at first, the drama will more and more overwhelm you. A policeman, who truly loves her, tries to save her, but instead he unintentionally only makes matters worse, and ultimately you will understand why she has to prefer the criminal to him.

But the greatest asset of the film is perhaps the location, the genuine environment among the fishermen on the east coast living in very basic conditions, their small Sunday pleasures at the dancing party, and the wonderful local people - this should actually be a classic