Playing with Love (1977)
An unsettling Italian coming-of-age drama in which childhood innocence fractures under the weight of desire, manipulation, and jealousy.
Playing with Love - Movie Information
- Original Title: Maladolescenza
- Release Year: 1977
- Directed by: Pier Giuseppe Murgia
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Age Rating (US): R
- Runtime: 1h 34m
- Original Language: Italian
- Spoken Languages: Italian
- Release Date (Theatrical): May 17, 1977 (France - 18), July 7, 1977 (United States - R), June 23, 1977 (Germany - 18), May 17, 1977 (Italy), September 4, 1979 (Spain - 18)
- Alternative Titles: Serdülökori játékok (HU), Spielen wir Liebe (DE), Puppy Love (US), Распутное детство (RU), 春的森林 (CN), Jeux interdits de l'adolescence (CA), Maladolescenza (IT), Cinta monyet (ID)
- Production Companies: Cinema 23 Film, Monarex, Petra Cinematografica, Seven Star Film
- Production Countries: Italy, Germany
Playing with Love - Plot
Laura and Fabrizio have been meeting every summer in the forest by her parent's summer home. Fabrizio is a solitary boy with only his dog for company; Laura a sweet but unconfident child. This summer new aspects enter into their story as both are growing up. Laura is falling in love with Fabrizio, while he displays a new sexual awareness of her masked by his malice. Things develop further when they meet Sylvia who, unlike the innocent Laura, is confident and assertive. Fabrizio develops a fascination with her, eventually bribing Laura to fetch her to the forest to join them in play.
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Playing with Love - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Pier Giuseppe Murgia
Main Cast
- Lara Wendel
- Éva Ionesco
- Martin Loeb
Writers
- Peter Berling
- Pier Giuseppe Murgia
Producers
- Franco Cancellieri
Playing with Love - FAQs
Where can you watch Playing with Love (1977)?
Streaming availability for Playing with Love (1977) is limited due to the film's controversial nature. You can check current regional availability across rental and streaming platforms by visiting JustWatch, which aggregates up-to-date viewing options in your country.
What is Playing with Love (1977) about?
Playing with Love follows Laura and Fabrizio, two adolescents who meet each summer in a forest near her family's vacation home. Their childhood bond is disrupted when a confident newcomer, Sylvia, arrives, igniting jealousy, desire, and a troubling power struggle between the three young characters.
Who are the main actors in Playing with Love?
The film stars Lara Wendel as Laura, a gentle and insecure girl; Éva Ionesco as the assertive newcomer Silvia; and Martin Loeb as Fabrizio, the brooding and manipulative boy at the center of the story's emotional and sexual tension.
Is Playing with Love based on a true story?
Playing with Love is not based on a true story. It is an original dramatic work written by Peter Berling and director Pier Giuseppe Murgia, exploring fictional adolescent relationships set against an isolated summer forest backdrop in a stylized, European art-cinema tradition.
What is the age rating for Playing with Love?
Playing with Love is rated R in the United States. It also received an 18 certificate in France, Germany, and Spain upon its respective releases in those countries, reflecting its mature and controversial depiction of adolescent sexuality.
Who directed Playing with Love (1977)?
Playing with Love was directed by Italian filmmaker Pier Giuseppe Murgia, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Peter Berling. The film remains Murgia's most internationally discussed work, largely due to its provocative subject matter and European art-house aesthetic.
How long is Playing with Love (1977)?
Playing with Love has a runtime of 94 minutes, or approximately 1 hour and 34 minutes. The film's measured pace allows its unsettling emotional dynamics to develop gradually within the isolated, forested setting that dominates the narrative.
What are some films similar to Playing with Love?
Viewers drawn to Playing with Love may also appreciate Summering (2022), Secret Love (2014), Marie-Jo and Her 2 Loves (2002), Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004), and Vive L'Amour (1995), all of which explore themes of youth, desire, and complex interpersonal dynamics.
More About Playing with Love
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