“Così fan tutte,” also known as “All Ladies Do It,” is a 1992 Italian erotic comedy written and directed by Tinto Brass. The film is known for its bold examination of femininity, marital relationships, and the intricacies of craving desires from Brass’s unique perspective.
Plot Summary
This story is set in the heart of the vintage city of Venice during the early 90s, focusing on Diana (Claudia Koll), a young and beautiful woman married to Paolo (Paolo Lanza), who is a jealous and old-fashioned husband. Even though they seem like they have a perfect marriage, Diana believes in lifestyle outside marriage, where one can have fantasies and do mischievous things once in a while.
Diana works at an antique store, constantly meeting new men who find her intriguing. Alphonse, a famous poet, is one man who stumbles upon her and quickly falls head over heels in love with her. His attempts to flirt with her opens up another side to her that makes her want to step outside her relationships.
With the help of Nadia Isabella Deiana, who is Diana’s free-spirited sister, encourages Diana to hypnotize her sexuality. She seeks out several affairs, each one depicting dived parts of her personality, with the more intense ones being passionate.
During her trips, Diana keeps in touch with Paolo, consistently sharing altered versions of her stories as though they are fantasies. Paolo does get intrigued with the stories and he accepts them to be fabrications, treating them as fantasies while having no clue about the truth. This makes for a rich relationship between them, full of warp and woof of lies and realities.
Diana dives into feeling of guilt that always accompanies her actions in the film’s climax when she and Paolo finally have a showdown with each other in which they sift through some hard truths and get a real understanding of the need to contemplate their relationship and the restrictions that come with their passions.
Themes and Analysis
“Did This Really Happen” analyzes the themes of loyalty, self-governance and the boundaries that come with woman’s sexuality in society. The film addresses the simplistic marriage monogamy narrative through a woman that actively seeks fulfillment outside of her marriage, which in this case isn’t out of sheer lack of self but rather a woman wanting to embrace all aspects of their sexuality.
Diana is not lost but rather searching for herself. The film argues that having fantasies and desires will come to a person’s core, and that in turn can lead to understanding one’s self and partner at a more profound level. This notion has provoked and even sparked debate on the representation of woman power in film.
Tinto Brass uses his world-renowned style that focuses on intricate set pieces and colorful photography while emphasizing the women’s body. He opts to tell stories in a way that is more sensual than graphic. His attention is on the characters’ inner worlds. Mirrors used in different scenes demonstrate the dual systems, Diana’s life, identity, desire, and the structure of her personality.
Criticism and Legacy
“All Ladies Do It” faced a backlash of mixed reviews. There was good feedback given towards Claudia Koll because she remarkably showed a proportion of Diana’s strength along with relatable fragility stunningly well. The film was criticized for its lack of moderate morality and was praised by some and condemned by others for unveiling women’s sexuality constructs.
The film has definitely undergone some changes in review, especially in relation to feminism. Some scholars argue that it depicts a woman who embraces her sexuality in an unconstrained manner, succeeding in defying the nourishing patriarchy. Other critics posit that it sustains some stereotypes, demonstrating the complexity of meaning that poses as art can elitsi.
Conclusion
A notable film on Tinto Brass’s list of movies is “All Ladies Do It” since it incorporates his recurring themes and characteristic styles. Viewers are made to ponder about the details of desire, what it means to be loyal, and how society treats women. It stirs the conscience of the audience to evaluate their principles of morality, freedom, and the borders between reality and imagination by Diana’s experiences.
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