Movie Overview

• Title: That Malicious Age (Quella età maliziosa)

• Release Date: 1975 (Italy)

• Genre: Erotically charged romantic drama, touching on coming-of-age and psychological themes

• Director & Writers: Directed and co-written by Silvio Amadio, with screenplay contributions from Piero Regnoli

• Main Cast:

  • Nino Castelnuovo as Napoleone

  • Gloria Guida as Paola

  • Anita Sanders as Paola’s mother

• Runtime: Approximately 90 minutes

• Where to Watch: Occasionally available on classic film channels and platforms like Plex (though accessibility varies)

1. Plot Summary

Napoleone, an artist weary of his marriage, takes up work as a gardener at a summer villa on Elba. There, he meets Paola, the flirtatious teenage daughter of his employers, and becomes entangled in a complex dynamic with both her and her alluring mother. As attractions intensify, erotic tension gives way to jealousy, psychological manipulation, and tragic consequences involving a mentally unstable fisherman. The film explores blurred moral boundaries and generational power plays

2. Notable Elements

• Visually Provocative Design: The film leverages the scenic beauty of Elba island—sunlight, ruins, and verdant panoramas—to heighten its erotic and symbolic undertones

• Ambiguous Symbolism & Tension: Scenes such as Paola’s suggestive approach in an old church evoke biblical imagery—like a version of Christ-like crucifixion—without spelling out their meaning, encouraging viewers’ interpretation

• Genre Fusion (and Confusion): The narrative attempts to marry light eroticism, psychological drama, and moral introspection. Critics describe this blend as uneasy—creating tonal shifts that can feel abrupt or disjointed

3. Themes and Messages

• Exploration of Temptation and Power: The film centers on attraction across generations—Napoleone is enticed by both mother and daughter—raising unsettling questions about desire and control.

• Class and Isolation: Napoleone’s status as a laborer vs. his employers’ societal position adds a layer of class tension, heightening emotional stakes.

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• Ambiguous Morality: The slow descent into passion, betrayal, and fatal conflict suggests that human impulses—especially repressed or taboo desires—are often far more dangerous than any external threat

4. Personal Impressions

Strengths:

• The film’s visuals are arresting—the Italian countryside, architectural decay, and lighting evoke both romanticism and decay.

• Gloria Guida’s performance is striking and expressive, particularly in scenes that rely on body language and subtle facial cues rather than dialogue

Weaknesses:

• The tone shifts—from erotic comedy to dark drama—often feel jarring, with underdeveloped transitions that undermine narrative cohesion

• Critics note the film’s uncertain identity and misogynistic undertones, pointing out how its attempt at psychological complexity ultimately feels undercooked

5. Audience Recommendations

• Recommended For:

  • Viewers intrigued by erotic psychological dramas with symbolic visuals.

  • Fans of vintage Italian cinema and Gloria Guida’s iconic performances.

• Not Recommended For:

  • Audiences seeking coherent plots or fully developed emotional arcs.

  • Those uncomfortable with themes of ambiguous erotic acting and transgressive attraction.

6. Conclusion & Rating

That Malicious Age is a visually compelling but narratively uneven erotic drama. Rich in atmosphere and symbolic tension, it remains provocative but ultimately feels unresolved and morally nebulous—a time capsule of 1970s Italian cinema’s experimentation with erotic and psychological nuance.

Final Recommendation: Watch curiously, but without expectation of full narrative satisfaction.
Rating: ★★½ ☆ (2.5 out of 5 stars)