La lupa

A woman of about forty lives in a small town. She is still attractive and is called "the Vixen" for her immoral conduct. Gazed at with lust by men, she uses her seductive powers to ensure that her daughter, Maricchia, a good and modest girl, be chosen to play the part of Saint Agatha, the patron saint of the town, in the annual procession. A soldier called Nanni Lasca comes to the local festival from his nearby barracks, and here he sees "the Vixen". He falls in love with her and becomes her lover. Later Nanni meets Maricchia, who arouses tender feelings in him: when he discovers that the girl is his mistress's daughter, he decides to dump his lover and proposes marriage to Maricchia. The girl, who has some suspicions about the relationship between her mother and Nanni, hesitates; but the mother pushes her to accept, hoping to win back her lover. She succeeds in her intent but is thrown out of the house when Maricchia, now married, has a child. "The Vixen" takes refuge with the owner of a tobacco factory and there weaves her revenge; but when she attempts to cause a breach between Maricchia and her husband, the daughter rebels against her and the women of the town take her side. Pursued, "the Vixen" locks herself in the tobacco warehouse and kills herself. (Venice International Film Festival)