Io la conoscevo bene

Dreaming of becoming a famous actress, 19-year-old Adriana (Stefania Sandrelli) leaves her parents' farm in Tuscany and goes to Rome. With her attractive looks and open, naive nature, she quickly makes acquaintances, changing men, hairstyles, clothes, and hats at a furious pace. Commonly referred to as Pietrangeli's masterpiece, the film is less a portrait of a seemingly straightforward young woman than a proto-feminist study of exploitative relationships and an atmospheric picture of the 1960s, conveyed by various dance events, fashion shows, cinema visits, parties and, above all, a multitude of popular songs of the time, which, in combination with Piero Piccioni's film score, form a terrific soundtrack. (hjf)