Lucrezia

Though Lucrezia, the first of Olinka Bérová’s two Italian engagements, promises an exploitative look at the juicy peripeties of the debauched lives of the infamous Borgia family, the result is a tired costume spectacle that is surprising because of its modesty instead of the desired attractions. It could even be said that the famous femme fatale finds herself here in the role of a tragic and distinctly passive tragic heroine and her life story is reshaped as a tale from a romance novel. Faced with these deficiencies, it is no longer possible to cover up the fact that the only reason anyone would watch this film today is the lecherous pleasure of viewing the exposed assets of a popular Czech star. In that respect, however, the film requires a great deal of attention from viewers because, due to the editing and camerawork, the desired nudity comes and goes as quickly as the beating of a hummingbird’s wings. (10.05.2015)