For those who don't like Valentine's Day, join us for an "anti-romantic" evening with Lina Wertmuller's Swept Away. Laemmle Theatres and the Anniversary Classics Series present a 50th anniversary screening of the odd-couple arthouse sensation Swept Away. Lina Wertmüller’s provocative, fable-like two-hander brings together Mariangela Melato and Giancarlo Giannini for an oft-ugly battle of the sexes (and classes) cage match with the sparkling Mediterranean for a beautiful backdrop.
"[With Swept Away,] Wertmüller delivered the first girl power picture, and it's a stunning masterstroke of a movie." – Bill Gibron, DVD Talk
Not long after setting off on a yachting expedition, Milanese millionairess Raffaella (Melato) finds herself stranded on an obscure island with the boat’s deckhand (Giannini), a working-class Sicilian communist who promptly establishes dominion over the isle — and his once-prideful ex-employer. A contentious cinematic war of words, which has lost none of its power to inspire heated debate among its viewers.
In 1976, Wertmüller became the first woman ever to earn an Oscar nomination as Best Director for her film Seven Beauties.
"[With Swept Away,] Wertmüller delivered the first girl power picture, and it's a stunning masterstroke of a movie." – Bill Gibron, DVD Talk"Wertmüller didn’t just tap the tangled sexual politics of the ’70s— she lit a fuse under them." - Owen Gleiberman, Variety"As ferocious as it is funny." - Judith Crist"A powder keg of class and sexual politics." - Scott Tobias, AV Club