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The Ape Woman (ItalianLa donna scimmiaFrenchLe Mari de la femme à barbe) is a 1964 Italian-French drama film directed by Marco Ferreri. It was entered into the1964 Cannes Film Festival.[1] The film was inspired by the real-life story of Julia Pastrana a 19th-century woman exploited as a freak show attraction by her manager Theodore Lent.

In 2008 the film was selected to enter the list of the 100 Italian films to be saved.[2][3][4]

Contents[]

 [hide*1 Plot

Plot[edit][]

The "Ape Woman" is Annie Girardot, completely covered with hair; the entrepreneur Tognazzi discovers her in a convent in Naples; he marries her (a condition imposed by the nuns) and begins exhibiting her to the public. He tries to sell her to a funny guy who insists on her virginity, but she is a little reluctant. After tasting success inParis, she dies during childbirth. Tognazzi recovers her mummy from the museum of natural history and exhibits it in Naples. The subject looks a little camp, but the film is considered one of the most touching of Ferreri's.

Cast[edit][]

  • Ugo Tognazzi as Antonio Focaccia
  • Annie Girardot as Maria
  • Achille Majeroni as Majoroni
  • Filippo Pompa Marcelli as Bruno
  • Ermelinda De Felice as Sister Furgonicino (as Linda De Felice)
  • Elvira Paolini as Chambermaid
  • Ugo Rossi as Ponszoner
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