This review is for Kesse Teens which is the German DVD release of La Ragazzina, Gloria Guida's first foray into the film industry and it is quite obvious why she was snapped up. Although she was nineteen when she made this film, she is supposed to be younger, while the rest of the so-called teens look to be well into their twenties. The rest of the male cast are middle-aged and older but who lust after the glorious Gloria.
The film could be described as a coming-of-age or rites-of-passage drama. It is a story of love and betrayal. Monica (Gloria Guida) is an innocent schoolgirl but unbeknown to her, her boyfriend Leo is the local pimp. Although Leo wants Monica, she actually wants her art teacher Bruno. Bruno is having an affair with Sandra, while her husband Massimo is a client of Leo's and then pays Leo to set him up with Monica.
This film is really about Ms Guida getting her clothes off which happens at various points in the film. To say how, when and why would spoil the plot. Ms Guida also looks good in mini-skirts, she certainly has the legs for them. There is one glaring fault in the film and that is the music while she is posing in front of a mirror. The solo guitar was just right but using a penny whistle as an accompaniment was a crass idea. Filming on location evokes nostalgia for a lost world. The Adriatic town of Lignano Sabbiadoro is remarkably traffic-free; and how many Italians still drive beach buggies? Those were the days.
Anyone considering buying the Kesse Teens DVD should be aware of some technical details. It is German language only although following the plot is not too difficult. The cover says that the picture is 4:3 but it is close to 1.68:1. This could be an advantage for widescreen TV owners. The worst discrepancy is the run time. The cover says 88 minutes but it runs for only 79 minutes. This is another victim of the German censors and why some of the nude scenes do seem to cut off abruptly. With German DVDs, what it says on the box is not always what you get. 4 stars.
The film could be described as a coming-of-age or rites-of-passage drama. It is a story of love and betrayal. Monica (Gloria Guida) is an innocent schoolgirl but unbeknown to her, her boyfriend Leo is the local pimp. Although Leo wants Monica, she actually wants her art teacher Bruno. Bruno is having an affair with Sandra, while her husband Massimo is a client of Leo's and then pays Leo to set him up with Monica.
This film is really about Ms Guida getting her clothes off which happens at various points in the film. To say how, when and why would spoil the plot. Ms Guida also looks good in mini-skirts, she certainly has the legs for them. There is one glaring fault in the film and that is the music while she is posing in front of a mirror. The solo guitar was just right but using a penny whistle as an accompaniment was a crass idea. Filming on location evokes nostalgia for a lost world. The Adriatic town of Lignano Sabbiadoro is remarkably traffic-free; and how many Italians still drive beach buggies? Those were the days.
Anyone considering buying the Kesse Teens DVD should be aware of some technical details. It is German language only although following the plot is not too difficult. The cover says that the picture is 4:3 but it is close to 1.68:1. This could be an advantage for widescreen TV owners. The worst discrepancy is the run time. The cover says 88 minutes but it runs for only 79 minutes. This is another victim of the German censors and why some of the nude scenes do seem to cut off abruptly. With German DVDs, what it says on the box is not always what you get. 4 stars.