''La seduzione'', internationally released as ''Seduction'', is a

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

erotic film Sex in film, the presentation of aspects of sexuality in film, specially human sexuality, has been controversial since the development of the medium. Films which display or suggest sexual behavior have been criticized by religious groups or hav ...

, directed by Fernando Di Leo and based on the novel ''Graziella'' by

Ercole Patti Ercole Patti (16 February 1903 – 15 November 1976) was an Italian writer, dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. Born in Catania into an upper-middle-class family, the nephew of author Giuseppe Villaroel, Patti started working as a journalist ...

Plot

After many years working as a journalist in France, Giuseppe returns to the empty family home in his native

Acireale Acireale (; scn, Jaciriali, locally shortened to ''Jaci'' or ''Aci'') is a coastal city and ''comune'' in the north-east of the Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, southern Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea. ...

and looks up his old flame Caterina, now a widow and mother of the teenage Graziella. A staid middle-aged romance is rekindled and he begins spending nights in her home. Graziella, though she has a local boyfriend, finds her mother's mature and sophisticated lover far more alluring and starts trying to entice him. Giuseppe succumbs to Graziella's charms bit by bit, and the affair has only just been consummated when Caterina finds out. Stormy arguments among the three end with a fragile truce, in which Giuseppe will not abandon Caterina. Unhappy that she has not won, Graziella gets her friend Rosina to tempt Giuseppe into a beach cabin and then rushes to tell her mother about this new infidelity. Dressing herself immaculately, Caterina waits outside Giuseppe's house until he emerges, when she shoots him dead.

Cast

Lisa Gastoni Lisa Gastoni (born 28 July 1935) is an Italian film actress. Gastoni was named "Best Italian Actress of the Year, 1966" as she received both the Nastro D'Argento Award and the Golden Globe Award from Italy's Foreign Press Association.} Biograp ...

as Caterina *

Maurice Ronet Maurice Ronet (13 April 1927 – 14 March 1983) was a French film actor, director, and writer. Early life Maurice Ronet was born Maurice Julien Marie Robinet in Nice, Alpes Maritimes. He was the only child of professional stage actors Émile Rob ...

as Giuseppe *

Jenny Tamburi Jenny Tamburi (27 November 1952 – 1 March 2006), born as Luciana Tamburini, was an Italian actress and television hostess. Her first stage name was "Luciana della Robbia" and after her first film she changed it to "Jenny Tamburi". Born in Rom ...

as Graziella *

Pino Caruso Giuseppe Caruso (12 October 1934 – 7 March 2019), best known as Pino Caruso, was an Italian actor, author and television personality. Life and career Caruso was born in Palermo, Sicily and debuted as dramatic stage actor in his home town in ...

as Alfredo *

Graziella Galvani Graziella Galvani (27 June 1931 – 25 August 2022) was an Italian stage, television and film actress. Life and career Born in Milan, Galvani formed at the drama school of the Piccolo Teatro in her hometown, and participated in several plays ...

as Luisa *Barbara Marzano as Rosina *Rosario Bonaventura as Rosario

Casting

Originally the character of Graziella was planned to be played by

Ornella Muti Ornella Muti (born Francesca Romana Rivelli; 9 March 1955) is an Italian actress. She made her film debut as Francesca Cimarosa in the 1970 film ''La moglie più bella.'' Early life Muti was born in Rome to a Neapolitan journalist father and ...

, but she was eventually dropped because considered too attractive for the role.

Reception

At the time of its release, the newspapers widely reported the news of a man who died of a heart attack watching the movie.Marco Giusti, "''Dizionario dei film italiani stracult''", Frassinelli, 1999.

References

External links

* 1973 films Films directed by Fernando Di Leo Italian erotic drama films Films scored by Luis Bacalov Films set in Sicily 1970s erotic drama films 1970s Italian films {{1970s-Italy-film-stub