The director Mauro Bolognini has some experience of historical movies and you can see this in this late-Renaissance movie set at the canals of Venice and he has also experience with love-stories. This movie written with the help of Massimo Franciosa lacks the grandeur of a Luchino Visconti but at no moment one gets the impression of being bored. Laura Antonelli is very good as Angela and she looks like an angel just as in the other movie L'Innocent (1976) but why is she closing the windows of her apartment when her lover (Jason Connery - he has no name in the movie!) is throwing stones into her room? The mores of the time when the doge is allowing the prostitutes to show their breasts, and the young noblemen throwing fish at them, are explored and the question remains what the life of an older (but still young),rich widow must heave been in Venice at the end of the 15th century. It is not surprising that such a woman is glowed with fire when she can see from her room a young man p***ing in the canal. The sex-scenes in the movie are good and made with taste; there is even a scene where Angela is near of having a sexual affair with her servant who tries to console her mistress. This story of a one night, two lovers affair remembers me of the Decamerone because of its freshness and sweetness.

1986's "The Venetian Woman" is one of Bolognini's best known efforts but is not as satisfying nor as compelling as was his 1976 "The Inheritance" for which Dominque Sanda won the Best Actress award at Cannes. That film showed a woman, what "The Venetian Woman" primarily tries to say, out-besting men, which it does with two women on this "boy's" (Jason Connery) one night in Venice. This is something Bolognini has been somewhat preoccupied with as most of his most well-known films have this theme ("Arabella" with Virna Lisi and "Madamigella di Maupin" with Catherine Spaak). In fact, in "The Venetian Woman" he has one of his "ladies" dress up, almost unheard of then in 15th century Venice, like a man, the basic overall plot of "Madamigella di Maupin." Laura Antonelli and Monica Guerritore play the ladies, there are a lot of beautiful images in imitation of Renaissance paintings and by 1986 standards rather tame eroticism. The script is by Massimo Franciosa and Bolognini with a good score by Ennio Morricone with beautiful cinematography by Beppe Lanci and good costuming by Aldo Buti. It is hard to gauge Connery's performance as his voice is dubbed in by someone else, and he does not look particularly expressive, although Antonelli and Guerritore give more accomplished performances. One almost wishes she were caught dressed as a man as little happens except as an excuse for the love-making. And just the same, it is very impressive and well-worth the time spent on it, but not likely to be a lasting representative of Bolognini's work in the mainstream.

Venice, 16th century: The young, handsome Jules arrives in the city. Staying for one night only before journeying on, he is looking for an erotic adventure. There is the attractive girl Valeria, whose husband is out of town. Jules is deeply stunned by her and a „date" is arranged at midnight. But someone else has laid eyes on him – the lonely widow Angela, said to be the most beautiful woman of Venice. Tough choice for Jules...

The screenplay is adapted from a 16th century theater play by an anonymous writer, and that play is clearly in the same vein as Boccaccio's 14th century story collection „Decameron", one of the most important and popular pieces of Italian Renaissance literature. So „La Venexiana" offers a briskly told story with subtle comedy, underlying social criticism and lots of erotic situations. Basically the plot is rather thin and would have served better in a short story collection like Pasolino's 1971 „Il Decameron". Therefore the screenplay extends the sex scenes, thus clearly setting the movie in the sexy comedy genre (I watched the 83 minutes version of the Italian DVD).

The movie is beautifully shot, taking advantage of the unique Venetian atmosphere around the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo, an area which is even today quite unspoiled by tourism. The wonderful costumes, interiors and the Morricone score really take you back in time.

As mentioned, neither the plot nor the characters are very complex, but to make the best of it, the movie is told straightforward and manages to avoid any boredom. Jason Connery is quite alright as protagonist and womanizer, in fact it's not really up to him to carry the storyline. Most of the comedic elements are provided by the respective servants of Angela and Valeria, whereas the erotica is the job for the leading actresses Laura Antonelli and Monica Guerritore. The nudity factor is very high throughout, and it is all shot very elegantly and tastefully. Jules' romance with Valeria (Monica Guerritore),tagged as a „true love", is the rather playful one-night-stand, while Angela is the melancholic, sad counterpart. Back then, in Venetian society, a widow couldn't have any new sexual relationships and is supposed to mourn forever, notwithstanding her passion and desire. A role taylor-made for Laura, and even though she had battled her status as a sex symbol for a long time, she is pure dynamite. Little wonder her encounter with Jules is shown for very, very long...

Overall, „La Venexiana" is a diverting erotic comedy with tragic undertones, quite true to the classic play, adequately played and with great visuals, especially in the main discipline, the sex scenes. All those qualities can easily cover for the slight lack of substance in the story.