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The Ape Woman
La donna scimmia
1964 92 min France, Italy 16+
★7.6
Drama, Comedy
Director: Marco Ferreri
Trailers
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Description
A modest Neapolitan man meets a young woman with excessive hairiness. He exhibits her at fairs and marries her. It is after marriage that he receives a tempting offer from a French manager.
Starring
Ugo Tognazzi
Actor
Annie Girardot
Actor
Achille Majeroni
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 1964
— Palme d'Or
Key opinion
Marco Ferreri’s The Ape Woman is a trenchant black comedy that satirizes capitalism and the institution of marriage by depicting the exploitation of a hirsute woman. The film balances grotesque, surreal imagery with a biting critique of human nature, anchored by strong lead performances.
| Theme | The film functions as an unflinching, mature critique of capitalist greed and the commodification of the human body. | |
| Acting | Ugo Tognazzi delivers a standout performance that captures the complexity and moral vacuity of the protagonist. | |
| Direction | Ferreri employs a surreal, uncompromising aesthetic that influenced later landmark cinema like The Elephant Man. | |
| Ending | Opinions on the film's conclusion vary, as the existence of multiple endings—ranging from tragic to more hopeful—creates different tonal impressions of the narrative resolution. |