Lina Wertmüller made history when she became the first woman to ever be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. Her film Seven Beauties, released in 1975, made that big of an impact. That also made her one of eight Italian directors to have been nominated for this distinction. Let's find out just how incredible - and skincredible - her long career was.
Lina was born and raised in Rome, so she is as Italian as they get. She had a very funny childhood where she says she got expelled from 15 different Catholic high schools due to her rebellious attitude. She was always in love with comic books and movies which lead to a career as a writer. She got involved in avant-garde theater and traveled all over Europe lending her hand to any aspect of the theater. This makes sense when you consider her films are very theatrical, colorful, and lively.
In the 1960s Lina was introduced to famous Italian artists Marcello Mastroianni and Federico Fellini who became mentors to her. Fellini directed La Dolce Vita, so she learned a lot from him a VERY good teacher.
Her first major film was The Basilisks which was critically acclaimed but did not give her that much attention. Beginning in the 70s, the young socialist artist began releasing the films that would launch her career.
In 1972, she released the sexy comedy The Seduction of Mimi which is regarded as a great Italian comedy. It also showcased the full-figured body of Italian actress Elena Fiore.
The very year before she made what would become her major masterpiece, she made the Italian sex comedy Swept Away. It received several awards all over the world, introducing American audiences to what Lina could do: cinematic tragic comedies.
She masterfully played with comedy and tragedy to tell poignant stories, making audiences laugh and cry the whole way thru. Basically, she was the original dramedy writer and director. Modern television probably owes a lot to her unique style.
Funny enough, Guy Ritchie remade Swept Away in 2002 with his then-wife Madonna in the lead. What an interesting duo to remake Lina's comedy classic!
Her greatest work is widely hailed to be Seven Beauties. The film follows a narcissistic young man from a small Italian town who is sent to a German concentration camp. While the film was a little controversial for putting this bizarrely self-obsessed character into the context of the Holocaust, it still garnered her a lot more praise than criticism.
Lina struggled to make commercially successful work for a few years after the success of these films. She always wanted to infuse her films with messages that were on the socialist side and tended to skewer masculinity and big egos. It turns out Hollywood doesn't really love that stuff - not in the 80s and 90s anyway.
She was back at it again with the nude scenes when she directed the 1999 film Ferdinando and Carolina. This historic epic takes place in 1820s Naples with King Ferdinando I reflecting on his life as he dies on his deathbed. Carolina refers to his former wife, Princess Maria Carolina of Austria played by Gabriella Pession. What was once an arranged marriage of convenience, blossomed into a passionate romance.
The busty redheaded Lola Pagnani showed off her Botticelli body and style as she posed naked wearing only a hairy merkin. Her bright red locks stand out gorgeously throughout the entire film - almost like her hair was shot in technicolor!
Another fun fact about Lina, and an example of her sense of humor, is that her films all actually have super long and funny titles. She is even a Guinness World Record holder for a film with the longest title.
Her 1979 film known as Blood Feud to American audiences is actually 179 characters long in its original Italian. Swept Away, for example, is called Swept Away by an unusual destiny in the blue seat of August. Stuff like that. Even with titles she is playing with form and infusing her sense of whimsy.
Later in her life, she dabbled in film and worked primarily as a theater director back home in Italy. We can all enjoy checking out years of her beautiful work as she continues to build her legacy. Watch one of her spicy nude scenes with Ms. Lola here:
Lina passed away today at age 93. She lived a full, beautiful life and will forever be remembered for her gorgeous work as well as the honor of being the first woman to ever be nominated for the Best Director category at The Oscars. Rest in peace, Lina!
