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Genre: Psychological Drama, Coming-of-Age, Erotic Thriller
Starring: Florinda Bolkan, Jean-Pierre LΓ©aud, Stefania Casini
Review:
That Malicious Age (1975) is a provocative and hypnotic exploration of desire, rebellion, and the blurred lines between innocence and manipulation. Shot with the sultry, sun-drenched aesthetic of 1970s European cinema, the film blends art-house elegance with twisted psychological tension β resulting in a story that is as haunting as it is visually mesmerizing.
Set along the Italian Riviera, the film follows Napoleone (Jean-Pierre LΓ©aud), a disillusioned painter fleeing from his life in the city, who takes a summer job as a gardener at a secluded coastal villa. There, he encounters Paola (Florinda Bolkan), a beautiful but emotionally guarded woman in her late 30s, and her unpredictable stepdaughter Flavia (Stefania Casini) β a fiery, dangerously seductive teenager who soon becomes the catalyst for obsession, jealousy, and unraveling sanity.
The performances are mesmerizing, particularly Bolkan, who brings both strength and sorrow to her role as a woman haunted by age, control, and regret. Casini is electric as Flavia β alternately innocent and cruel, playful and vicious. Her presence dominates the screen, embodying both youth’s allure and its chaos. LΓ©aud, best known for his Nouvelle Vague roles, gives a brooding performance as a man slowly being consumed by the emotional storm he wandered into.
Director Silvio Narizzano uses the idyllic setting to create tension between the beauty of the landscape and the rotting undercurrents of the charactersβ psyches. Long, dreamy takes of beaches and gardens are interrupted by sudden bursts of conflict, passion, and disturbing intimacy. The haunting score by Stelvio Cipriani adds another layer of unease, drifting between romantic and dissonant like the shifting moods of the characters.
What makes That Malicious Age so unforgettable is its refusal to provide moral clarity. It doesnβt ask you to sympathize with its characters β it dares you to understand them. It’s a story where no one is truly innocent, and every glance carries a hidden threat.
Final Verdict:
That Malicious Age (1975) is an atmospheric, daring film that captures the seductive danger of emotional manipulation and the unsettling power dynamics of youth and experience. Bold, unsettling, and strangely poetic β itβs a forgotten gem that lingers like a dream youβre not sure you wanted to have.
