Watch Le bambole

Le Bambole (The Dolls) is a captivating Italian film from 1965 that explores the lives of four women in the midst of societal and cultural changes. The movie is directed by Dino Risi and features an impressive cast, including Nino Manfredi, Virna Lisi, Elke Sommer, and Gina Lollobrigida. The film comprises four episodes, each focused on one of the four female protagonists - Milena (Lollobrigida), a woman who's lonely because of her husband's lack of interest; the gorgeous and capricious prostitute, Marisa (Sommer), living through a war-torn Venice; Raffaella (Lisi), a woman in her 30s struggling to bear a child and trying to save her marriage; and the teenager, Gina (Mariangela Melato), caught in a tangle of indecisiveness, teenage angst, and traditional family values.

While the film’s main focus is on the struggles of the four women, it provides a glimpse into what life was like for women in Italy during the 1960s. The societal and cultural changes that were taking place at that time formed a crucial backdrop for the emotions and motivations of the four protagonists. The film shows how they were coping with the change and how these changes were influencing their personal lives.

Each episode explores a different theme, and the tone of each episode is different from the last. There is the light-hearted episode with Gina, where she contemplates her own sexuality in the back of a car with a young man. The episode with Marisa is marked with a sense of hopelessness and despair as she tries to survive in a city riddled with war, poverty, and hunger.

The acting by the four leading women is consistently excellent throughout the film. Gina Lollobrigida's portrayal of Milena is heart-wrenching as she attempts to save her marriage by offering herself to other men, only to be rejected time and again. Elke Sommer brings an air of beauty and sensuality to her role as Marisa, the prostitute trying to make ends meet. Virna Lisi's portrayal is realistic and heart-breaking as she desperately tries to bear a child for her husband. Mariangela Melato gives a fantastic performance as the teenager Gina, who is disillusioned with life and the traditions of her family.

Furthermore, the role of men in the film is limited but vital to the plot of the movie. It provides a broad background to the societal changes that the women folk were experiencing. We encounter men that are violent, philandering, chauvinistic, egocentric, controlling, or just ineffective in their own right. The film portrays the men in the story as emotionally detached and not always understanding of their spouses' struggles.

Le Bambole is a thought-provoking film about women's lives and relationships during a time where Italy was experiencing seismic social changes. The plot explores themes of love, sex, loneliness, and the expectations placed on women in a male-dominated society.

The beautifully shot film takes us on four unique journeys, each with its own remarkable storyline, and each enabling us to think deeper about the experiences of women. The backdrop artfully captures the essence of a country in flux, providing a fascinating insight into the Italian way of life during the 1960s.

Le Bambole is a must-watch for those who love strong female characters and exploring their relationships in various contexts. The film provides a haunting portrait of the struggles of women in a modernizing society and shows their resilience and strength as they face the challenges brought by these changes.