''When Women Were Called Virgins'' ( it, Quando le donne si chiamavano madonne) is a 1972

commedia sexy all'italiana The commedia sexy all'italiana (, lit. "sex comedy Italian style"), also known as commedia scollacciata or commedia erotica all'italiana, is a subgenre of Italian ''commedia all'italiana'' film genre. Style ''Commedia sexy'' is characterized typ ...

written and directed by

Aldo Grimaldi Aldo Grimaldi (1942 – 5 August 1990) was an Italian director and screenwriter. Born in Catania, the son of the director and screenwriter Giovanni Grimaldi, he started his career as an assistant director in the films of his father. He made ...

. It is part of a series of derivative erotic comedies set in

the Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

which were based on the success of

Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, filmmaker, writer and intellectual who also distinguished himself as a journalist, novelist, translator, playwright, visual artist and actor. He is considered one of ...

's ''

The Decameron ''The Decameron'' (; it, label= Italian, Decameron or ''Decamerone'' ), subtitled ''Prince Galehaut'' (Old it, Prencipe Galeotto, links=no ) and sometimes nicknamed ''l'Umana commedia'' ("the Human comedy", as it was Boccaccio that dubbed Da ...

''.

Plot

During the Middle Ages, the young Gisippo, Ruberto and Tazio go to Prato to attend the trial of Giulia, guilty of having betrayed her husband Romildo (lazy and too "fast" during the sexual act) and for which she is expected to be sentenced to the stake. Giulia, however, beautiful and convincing, touches the judge's heart and gets permission to try again to make love once more before being sentenced. Since one of the three young men supported Giulia's apology during the trial, Romildo's uncle invites them to his house where he offers him the opportunity to indulge in the most unbridled and vulgar pleasures with three eager girls his guests and named Peronella, Francesca and Lucia. Although Peronella readily gives herself to Tazio, the other two young men are not so lucky — Francesca has a very jealous uncle, a friar (even if in reality he is a great pleasure-seeker) while Lucia is afraid of confronting the other sex. Gisippo and Ruberto disguise themselves as women and manage to successfully overcome the girls' fears. In the end, the three boys continue to pursue their sexual adventures, while Madonna Giulia decides to offer her favors as a great seductress and prostitute to Judge Don Cecco in return for acquittal.

Cast

Edwige Fenech Edwige Fenech (, ; born 24 December 1948) is an Algerian-born Maltese-Sicilian actress and film producer. She is mostly known as the star of a series of ''commedia sexy all'italiana'' and ''giallo'' films released in the 1970s, which turned her ...

as Giulia Varrone *

Vittorio Caprioli Vittorio Caprioli (15 August 1921 – 2 October 1989) was an Italian actor, film director and screenwriter. He appeared in 109 films between 1946 and 1990, mostly in French productions. Biography Caprioli was born in Naples. Having graduated fr ...

as Ser Cecco * Stefania Careddu as Francesca *

Don Backy Don Backy (real name Aldo Caponi; born 21 August 1939) is an Italian singer, songwriter and actor. He collaborated with Sofia Rotaru for "Grey Bird" – Ukrainian version of Italian song "L'immensità"— "Сизокрилий птах". Selecte ...

as Marcuzio dei Lucani *

Jürgen Drews Jürgen Ludwig Drews (born 2 April 1945) is a German Schlager singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Life Drews was born in Nauen near Berlin, and brought up in Schleswig. After finishing school, he went on to study medicine at the Univer ...

as Ruberto * Paolo Turco as Tazio * Antonia Brancati as Lucia *

Mario Carotenuto Mario Carotenuto (30 June 1916 – 14 April 1995) was an Italian actor of film and theatre. Biography Carotenuto, the son of a silent film actor and younger brother of the actor Memmo Carotenuto, took various humble jobs for many years be ...

as Quinto Fulvo * Carlo De Mejo as Gisippo * Francesca Benedetti as Gisa *

Peter Berling Peter Berling (20 March 1934 – 21 November 2017) was a German actor, film producer and writer. He has worked on several occasions with director Werner Herzog, among them his collaborations with actor Klaus Kinski like ''Aguirre, the Wrath of Go ...

as Romildo Varrone * Carletto Sposito as Friar Mariaccio * Eva Garden as Peronella

References

External links

* Commedia sexy all'italiana 1970s sex comedy films Films directed by Aldo Grimaldi West German films Films set in Prato Films with screenplays by Giovanni Grimaldi 1972 comedy films 1972 films 1970s Italian films {{erotic-comedy-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links