Review by Gary Tooze

 

Production:

Theatrical: Zebra Film

Video: Kino Lorber / Raro U.S.A.

 

Disc:

Region: FREE (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player)

Runtime: 2:05:07.750

Disc Size: 24,378,021,375 bytes

Feature Size: 22,875,684,864 bytes

Video Bitrate: 21.50 Mbps

Chapters: 13

Case: Standard Blu-ray case

Release date: January 20th, 2015

 

Video:

Aspect ratio: 1.66:1

Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps

Video codec: VC-1

 

Audio:

LPCM Audio Italian 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit

 

Subtitles:

English, None

 

Extras:

• Introduction by Italian film historian Maurizio Poro (6:57)
• Episode from the film, AMORI DI MEZZO SECOLO, entitled "Girandola 1910" (10:31)
• Director Biography and Filmography
• Fully illustrated booklet including critical analysis of the film

 

Bitrate:

 

 

Description: A rare masterpiece and a wonderful example of Italian Cinema starring two European film icons, Simone Signoret and Marcello Mastroianni, Adua and her Friends tells the story of four prostitutes forced to fend for themselves when a new law closes the bordellos of Rome. They pool their savings to open a trattoria, but find they cannot get a license. A prominent fixer with connections obtains the license for them, on the condition that they conduct their old business upstairs and pay him an exorbitant monthly fee. The works of Pietrangeli, one of the most talented members of the Italian neo-realism movement and capable of delivering gems such as Adua and her Friends and The Visitor definitely deserves to be revisited and to be exposed to a larger international audience.

 

 

The Film:

The central germ of an idea that writer-director Antonio Pietrangeli plays around with in Adua and Her Friends is sympathetic to a point. An all-star cast of women, led by Simone Signoret and Hiroshima Mon Amour's Emmanuelle Riva, play prostitutes that try their hand at managing their own restaurant. The impetus behind the film was timely since Italy's Merlin Law had recently passed in 1958, effectively banning brothels and any other form of public solicitation throughout the nation. After a point, however, it becomes clear that Pietrangeli's drama, like Adua and Her Friends's protagonists, is just marking time. It's an overlong, wan post-neorealist condemnation of the way Italy's male-dominated society has deprived women of the right to their independence.

Excerpt from Slant magazine located HERE

 

Miss Signoret is the house mother. She's the oldest and shrewdest of the lot, but not so shrewd that she doesn't go all girlish over a charming, irresponsible used-car salesman played by the redoubtable Marcello Mastroianni.

Emmanuelle Riva, who did so nicely as the French actress in "Hiroshima Mon Amour," is the one who welcomes this new life because it gives her a chance to make a home for her child. Sandra Milo, who later made a big hit as the flashy mistress in "8½," is the happy eternal pushover and Gina Rovere is the big, blowsy cow who falls in love with the local baggage smasher and wants to marry him.

Excerpt from the NY Times located HERE

Image :    NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Much to the delight of 60's Italian Cinema fans, Antonio Pietrangeli's Adua and Her Friends (Adua e le compagne) has made it to Blu-ray from Raro who have have had some questionable transfers of recent years so I scrutinized this appearance more than usual. While I don't discount the potential of some digitization - I couldn't honestly say any potential flaws were intrusive on my viewing. There are hints at waxiness and the softer sequences seem less consistent - making me think if anything was used - it wasn't blanketed. I wouldn't say the grain textures were overwhelming and there is some flatness. Contrast seems to reflect the age of the production. This Blu-ray is single-layered with a modest bitrate but I found the video very watchable.

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio :

The linear PCM 2.0 channel track, in original Italian, at 1536 kbps does a competent job of exporting the film's modest sound requirements. Italian composer and jazz musician Piero Piccioni (Hands Over the City, The 10th Victim, The Moment of Truth) did the score which benefits from the uncompressed rendering. It adds a nice flavor to the atmosphere. There are optional English subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region FREE.

 

Extras :

Included is a 7-minute introduction by Italian film historian Maurizio Poro (Italian with English subtitles) and a 10-minute episode from the 1954 film, Mid-Century Loves (1954) ("Amori di mezzo secolo"). The quasi-romantic segment is entitled "Girandola 1910" and is directed by Antonio Pietrangeli. There is also a digital listing of the director's biography and filmography and the package contains a fully illustrated booklet including critical analysis of the film.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
I found Adua and Her Friends appealing. Maybe Simone Signoret, Sandra Milo, and Marcello Mastroianni together gave it some charisma (NOTE: This is the first time in her career that Sandra Milo dubs herself in a movie. Previously she had been dubbed by other actresses such as Rosetta Calavetta and Lidia Simoneschi.) The movie has many amusing parts and touched on the Italian realism genre. The Raro Blu-ray provided an acceptable viewing and I appreciated simply seeing the film and the included extras add further value. If you are keen on these performers and this era of Italian films - you will probably enjoy this romp. Recommended!  

Gary Tooze

January 5th, 2015