Cinzia Mambretti in Storie di vita e malavita (1975)

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Carlo Lizzani explores the rough realities of the flesh trade in his dramatic Italian exposé Storie di vita e malavita (1975). Set in bustling Milan, the film centers on a low-level gangster whose mob operation involves brutally pimping innocent teens and needy young women who get ensnared in his web. Lizzani’s unsparing in his treatment of how vicious and violent the prostitution racket can be, but he’s also candid about the titillating pleasures that await clients. His cast of courtesans--Anna Curti, Lidia Di Corato, Annarita Grapputo, Cinzia Mambretti, and Cristina Moranzoni--all show thrilling glimpses of skin while entertaining the johns who find their way to the mafia-owned brothel.