I recently saw this at the 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival. This story by director Pappi Corsicato is loosely based on the novel The Marquise of O by Heinrich von Kleist with screenplay by Corsicato is about the beautiful Veronica (Caterina Murino) who owns an upscale women's clothing boutique in Naples and has a handsome but faithless husband Mario (Alessandro Gassman) who is a fertilizer salesman. The irony being that a fertilizer salesman is himself infertile and the couple is childless. Veronica runs the shop with assistant Nike (Martina Stella) who moonlights as an exotic dancer. A constant admirer of both Nike and Veronica is the building security guard Gabriele (Michele Venitucci). Not knowing that Mario is unable to conceive Veronica's mother (Valeria Fabrizi) is constantly pressuring Veronica to make her a grandmother. One night on her way home from work, Veronica is assaulted by two thugs. Gabriele, to the apparent rescue, chases them off. Soon after Mario learns he is sterile and Veronica learns she is pregnant. I don't know how a comedy that revolves around a rape is supposed to be funny but that's the premise here. the film looks good thanks to distinguished veteran cinematographer Ennio Guarnieri but the supposed comedy is about as forced as the assault. Overall a bad script, bad dialog, non-essential characters come in and out and a silly ending. I would give this a 5.0 out of 10 and would not recommend it.
Review of Il seme della discordia
