La risaia

In the rice fields of northern Italy with Elsa Martinelli and Rik Battaglia

This Italian film by Raffaello Matarazzo is a kind of latecomer to the classic "Bitter Rice" (1949) with Silvana Mangano and the similar film "The Woman from the River" (1954) with ACADEMY AWARD winner Sophia Loren. Elsa Martinelli (1935-2017) completes the series of long-legged Italian actress beauties who play workers in the rice field, scantily dressed and standing in the water. The film was shot around the city of Novara in Piedmont.

The rich rice plantation owner Pietro (Folco Lulli, 1912-1970) recognizes the young Elena (Elsa Martinelli) as his illegitimate daughter, who knows nothing about him. He tries to protect her, which leads to fatal misunderstandings with his wife Adele (Lilla Brignone, 1913-1984). Pietro's nephew Mario (Koblenz-born Michel Auclair, 1922-1988) also has his eye on the beautiful woman, which of course doesn't suit her loyal car mechanic Gianni (Rik Battaglia, 1927-2015). Vivi Gioi is also on the cast list as Elena's mother.

In terms of content, the film doesn't have much new to offer. What is interesting, however, is that it was shot in color and in CinemaScope format, which was not used at all in West Germany (with the exception of "Lola Montez") at that time (because it was simply too expensive). The Italian filmmakers had relied on this new cinema format much earlier, which certainly encouraged their rise to the film industry, which was also successful worldwide from 1959 onwards.

The beautiful Elsa Martinelli was awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlinale in those years (for "Donatella") and in the following years also made a career as a Hollywood star (Hatari, 1962). The good-looking Rik Battaglia is best known (and infamous) in German-speaking countries as the murderer of Winnetou (Winnetou III, 1965).

Not a masterpiece, but definitely interesting from a film perspective!