
Let'sputitstraight:thescreenplayof"lared"istritetoafault.Sowhyisitsomesmerizing?Itmustbetheform.Visually,it'sasplendor:fewdirectorscantakeadvantageoftheseasidelandscapesasEmilioFernandezdid:thinkLean's"Ryan'sdaughter"orJeanGrémillon's"Remorques".Somewillsaythatthesymbolism-abreaker-isponderous.ThedirectorwasprobablyinfluencedbyBunuelforsymbolsabound.There'sabigdifferencethough:whereasBunuel'sobsessionsoftendealwithsexcumreligion,"lared"isthoroughlypagan.RossannaPodestaepitomizessomekindofGoddess,ofEvebeforethefall.AMadonna'sfacebutasensualbodyandafalseinnocence:itwasnotsurprisingRobertWisewouldcastherasHelenofTroy.<br/> Evenmoredisturbingthanthethreateningomnipresenceoftheseaisthescript:75%of"lared"isdevoidofanydialog.Looksandsmilestelleverything(themealisagoodexample)Twomalesandafemale,that'snogood,onecharactersays.Allarecaughtupin"thenet"(thebeach),adeadend.Theonlywaytogetoutofthisworldisthesea.







