Marital Seduction (1974)

 

(Original Title: Seduzione Coniugale) An Italian drama about a couple whose marriage has gone stale.  Super melancholy, with hardly a word spoken throughout the film; it captures the cold lifeless mood of the marriage, but makes for a sleepy film.

A married couple whose romance has all but left the building.

The husband (Gabriele Tinti)

The wife (Rosemarie Lindt)

They try to fool around in bed, but it feels forced and passionless. 

The couple tries to spice things up by going to a swinging party.  The best part is how their friend Butler (Cesare Di Vito) is captivated by this girl's busome. 

The husband and wife just sit idly in the corner miserable.

They sit on the sofa while the party gets hoppin'. 

Mimma (Gaia Germani)

Butler is still all about those jugs. 

And yes those jugs make an appearance as she falls out of her dress while dancing.

The wife takes their son to judo lessons.

She is attracted to the Judo master (Mimmo Mazzotto).

Back at home, things are as quiet and dour as can be imagined. 

The husband parks his car on street lined with prostitutes. He watches the hookers get into a fight.

One of the prostitutes gets all her clothes ripped off.

The husband can't believe his eyes.

He fantasizes about being in a bed covered in feathers with a girl he once was involved with.

the girl brings a friend.

The wife is at home depressed.

This image pretty much sums this movie up.

She fantasizes about the Judo master coming to her house.

But it's just a fantasy.

She takes a cold shower, but the fantasies of the Judo master keep coming...

The husband brings his wife to his mother's ranch.  She goes horseback riding.

The husband listens to the ranch-hands comment on his wife's upskirt on the horse.

The wife suddenly realizes their talking about seeing her panties.  She doesn't know how her husband will react, so she feels embarrassed but then carefree about it. This one moment, with only expressions, demonstrates what an amazing actress Rosemarie Lindt is.

Hearing those dudes lust over his wife has invigorated his passion. 

Then, out of nowhere, he slaps her.

The couple decide to call it splits. 

Leaving for good, the husband is in a terrible car accident - presumably fatal.

In the epilogue, we see the wife getting undressed and getting into bed.

As the camera follows her motions, we find that it's the husband in her bed.  The final frame focuses on his wheelchair. THE END

An exceptional performance from Rosemarie Lindt, with barely a word spoken by her or anyone throughout the film - and, honestly, almost no emotion from anyone.  Nobody shouts, raises their voice, or fucking anything. And I'm not sure what I'm supposed to glean from all this.  Why did his car accident fix their marriage?  I don't know, and am too disinterested to care.  

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆4/10