Marriage Italian Style (1964)

Domenico is a rich businessman who drops in and out of Filumena’s life for 23 years, beginning when she’s a 17-year-old prostitute. The movie starts near the end of the timeline with “Dummi” about to get married to a young shopgirl and Filumena on her deathbed, so most of the story takes place in flashback.

It took me close to two months to finish this movie. There was something ugly about it that made me less than eager to return to it: lots of manipulation and yelling. But it does lighten up a bit in the last half when Filumena’s three illegitimate children are revealed, humanizing Dummi somewhat.

C