In the World War II, in a small Italian village, Nunziata (Stefania Sandrelli) is an easy woman married with the cuckold tailor Gioacchino (Ennio Coltorti). Her teenage daughter Miluzza (Lucia Cara) teases men with her clothes and gets men to lust after her. One day, Nunziata dies while having intercourse with an Italian Corporal at home, and Miluzza finds a job in the factory of the wealthy Don Peppe (Pepe Da Rosa) that rapes her. When Miluzza returns home, she learns that Gioacchino has died in the afternoon. Soon there are rumors that Miluzza had an affair with Don Peppe, but her grandfather protects her.Then Miluzza's village is bombed, her grandpa dies and she moves to another town to live with a friend. When she finds the Italian soldier Pietro (Raoul Bova) wounded in the leg in her house, Miluzza saves his life and helps him to return to his family. Pietro proposes to marry her, but her mother wants to prove that Miluzza is virgin before blessing the marriage of her son.I saw "Ninfa Plebea" for the first time on VHS on 17 May 2003 and I was disappointed with this movie by the great Italian director Lina Wertmüller. First because the amateurish lead actress Lucia Cara is too weak, keeping a cynical smile most of the time and also because there are unnecessary scatological scenes. Today I have just seen it again to reevaluate this story of war, lust, love and tradition, and I liked a little more, but not enough to list this movie among the best of Lina Wertmüller. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "Ninfeta Italiana" ("Italian Nymph")

War is raging in Southern Italy. As the story opens we are taken to a small church where people have come to atone for sins they have committed. We see a prostitute in the aisle talking loudly as she wants to repents for her trespasses. At the same moment, the camera focuses on Nunziata, a beautiful woman, standing at the back of the nave. A soldier approaches and goes behind her and we watch as he begins to paw her all over and she responds his advances.Life in this small hill town is difficult. Nunziata's daughter, the happy go lucky Miluzza, is wiser than her young years. Nunziata is married to Gioacchino, a tailor, but she is free to see whoever she wants. Miluzza, who is admired by all the men in town, even the priest is aware of the young girl charms, doesn't have a boyfriend of her own. When tragedy strikes and her mother dies, she is left alone to fend for herself.Help comes in the way of Don Peppe, who sees Miluzza working in his canning factory and immediately sets his eye on seducing the beautiful girl. Don Peppe's wife realizes what is going on and chases Miluzza away, but as the war is getting closer, she takes refuge in someone's house.This is the place where Pietro, a wounded soldier who is walking home from Sicily meets Miluzza. She tends to his wounds and helps him get to his well to do family who lives not far away. Along the way, Pietro falls desperately in love with Miluzza. His family are not too happy to see the son enter into a marriage they consider it's below him. There is also a doubt in Pietro's mother, Gesummina's mind whether the girl is a virgin and worthy of her son's love.Lina Wertmuller a director that was quite popular in the 1970s when her much loved films "Seven Beauties", and "Swept Away", were released, has adapted a novel by Domenico Rea with Ugo Pirro, to give us this movie about love, sex, and honor, that gets a great treatment on the screen. Her cinematographer, Ennio Guarnieri, captured the life in the small hill town in all its splendor. The haunting music by Ennio Morricone contributes to enhance the film.Best thing in the movie is the delicious Lucia Cara, who gives life to Miluzza. Ms. Cara makes a wonderful heroine in this tale of lust amid some of the days of WWII in the Campania region of Italy. Stefania Sandrelli, a gorgeous actress, plays Nunziata, the prostitute with a heart of gold. Raoul Bova is the man who is swept off his feet by girl that doesn't expect anything back from him. Isa Danieli is wonderful as Gesummina, the matriarch in Pietro's family.Ms. Wertmuller deserved better with this film. We don't remember ever having seen it released commercially in this country. The wonderful DVD transfer shows a film that will show why Ms. Wertmuller is one of Italy's best directors, in spite of some recent disappointments.

I began viewing this with trepidation as I'd read a review previously and it sounded if would be a doom and gloom sort of film from beginning to end. While there were dark moments which resulted from the natural course of events during the film, I found the characters to be rich and enjoyable and ones you could really care for. Lucia Cara who played Miluzza was a delight and one could easily fall in love with her and her character. She's a beauty who sparkles. In fact, she IS the film as far as I'm concerned. Apparently she has been in only one other film which I have not yet seen but hopefully there will be many more future films with her in them.

This movie shows the social dilemma of an abused girl, showing how easily she is victimized, how unaware she is, and how society gives her little chance to escape her role. It does not overplay her role as a victim, and it condemns no individual, only society.