Seduced and Abandoned

Seduced and Abandoned is a 1964 Italian film directed by Pietro Germi. It was screened at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival. Plot The film presents the tale of Agnese Ascalone, daughter of prominent quarry owner Vincenzo Ascalone, and takes place in a small town in Sicily (specifically Sciacca), as did Germi's previous film, Divorce, Italian Style. Agnese is seduced by her sister Matilde's fiancé, and has a tryst with him for which she confesses and tries to repent, only to be discovered by her mother and father. Vincenzo immediately demands that the man, Peppino Califano, marry his daughter, and antics ensue. The film is a dark satire of Sicilian social customs and honor laws, and is very similar to Divorce, Italian Style. Cast Stefania Sandrelli - Agnese Ascalone Saro Urzì - Don Vincenzo Ascalone Aldo Puglisi - Peppino Califano Lando Buzzanca - Antonio Ascalone Lola Braccini - Amalia Califano Leopoldo Trieste - Baron Rizieri Zappalà Umberto Spadaro - Cousin Ascalone, a lawyer Paola Biggio - Matilde Ascalone Rocco D'Assunta - Orlando Califano Oreste Palella - Police Chief Polenza Lina Lagalla - Francesca Ascalone Gustavo D'Arpe - Ciarpetta the Lawyer Rosetta Urzì - Consolata the Maid Roberta Narbonne - Rosaura Ascalone Vincenzo Licata - Pasquale Profumo the Undertaker Attilio Martella - The Magistrate Judge Adelino Campardo - Police Officer Bisigato Salvatore Fazio - Don Mariano the Priest Italia Spadaro - Aunt Carmela Context These Sicilian customs, including a form of bride kidnapping or elopement known as fuitina and the following "rehabilitating marriage" (matrimonio riparatore), were brought to national attention in 1966 by the case of Franca Viola. Her story was turned into the 1970 film, La moglie più bella (The Most Beautiful Wife) by Damiano Damiani and starring Ornella Muti.