Swept Away

An odd-couple arthouse sensation in the United States, Lina Wertmüller’s provocative, fable-like two-hander brings together Mariangela Melato and Giancarlo Giannini for an oft-ugly battle of the sexes (and classes) cage match with the sparkling Mediterranean for a beautiful backdrop.

Not long after setting off on a yachting expedition, Milanese millionairess Raffaella (Melato) finds herself stranded on an obscure island with the boat’s deckhand (Giannini), a working-class Sicilian communist who promptly establishes dominion over the isle — and his once-prideful ex-employer. A contentious cinematic war of words, which has lost none of its power to inspire heated debate among its viewers.

“Swept Away is an absorbing movie, it tells a story we get involved in and it's often very funny.” – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"Wertmüller delivered the first girl power picture, and it's a stunning masterstroke of a movie." – Bill Gibron, DVD Talk

"Wertmüller didn’t just tap the tangled sexual politics of the ’70s— she lit a fuse under them." - Owen Gleiberman, Variety

"As ferocious as it is funny." - Judith Crist

"A powder keg of class and sexual politics." - Scott Tobias, AV Club