Island of the Swedish Girls

Here I am, just adding another voice to the choir of people making snarky comments about Island of the Swedish Girls‘ title. To my knowledge, there is nothing Swedish about this film, girls or otherwise. So, right from the start, we’re on a bad foot.

The first scene doesn’t do anything to change that. This film opens with a rape scene. Or, maybe it’s a sex scene. We see lead character, Manuela in bed with her fiance, Maurizio. The first words she utters? No. She repeats this a few times, which Maurizio does not acknowledge. Eventually, Manuela stops saying no and the sex scene continues. But this seems to be the final straw for Manuela, who leaves him. She goes to stay with her friend Eleonora, who lives on a Mediterranean island. For much of the film’s runtime, it’s basically Manuela and Eleonora frolicking around the island, unbothered and unclothed. Their relationship deepens,. Eleonora obviously has attraction for Manuela. But then, Maurizio shows up to try and win Manuela back. This goes poorly because there’s a very blatant example of Chekov’s gun which obviously, must be used in the film’s rushed climax.

Technically, I’m not sure if this movie crosses the line into overt lesbian content. For all the time Manuela and Eleonora spend frolicking nude together, they never kiss. Either Manuela pulls away, or the camera gets uncharacteristically shy and cuts to black. Maybe they are just gals being pals. But I’ve had female friends. I’ve also had girlfriends. The way these two act is not the way I’ve acted with my female friends. On Eleonora’s part, there’s a pretty clear desire that you don’t need an onscreen kiss to confirm. Maybe this isn’t true for Manuela. But she seems aware of Eleonora’s interest and perfectly happy to keep engaging in nude body painting, nude frolicking and sharing a bed. Plus, the film’s dialogue codes the relationship as romantic. After all, why would there be such a conflict over Manuela “choosing” either Eleonora or Maurizio if Eleonora is just a friend?

The majority of the film is made up of montages of Eleonora and Maneula doing hot girl shit. And I’m not wholly opposed to that. The issue comes from the goddamn male gaze. This movie doesn’t seem to like women unless they have their mouths closed and their clothes off. What’s most frustrating is that often, this gaze is passed off on Eleonora. There’s a lengthy scene of the two women filming one another nude on a beach. They then watch this footage later and the camera draws attention to Eleonora’s fixated gaze. The film’s desire for women is constantly passed off onto the character of Eleonora who yes, likes women. But she’s equally objectified. Because guess what? This female fictional character actually doesn’t have any agency. It’s the male director who does and he’s the one who chose all these shots.

The last 15 minutes where things do happen are also disappointing. Because quite frankly, things I wanted to happen didn’t. Also, because this ending is so predictable. Having a lesbian happy ending is a 2 for 1! First off, it would not only please me specifically. But additionally, it would be genuinely unpredictable because it happens so rarely, especially in films like this. Outside of my predictable disappointment, the scene doesn’t work because there’s no lead up. There isn’t enough character work or building of tension to support a climax involving gun crime. It just sort of happens. There’s not enough weight to any of these actions. Overall, it feels like a rushed ending instead of a climax the film built towards.

I enjoyed Silvio Amadio’s other entry into WLW film canon, Amuck! significantly more than this film. Island of the Swedish Girls has little plot, little buildup and little respect for women. It’s a great looking movie, but one that’s hollow and rather unkind at its centre. But at least it’s a 60’s Italian film. That means even a film like this, which doesn’t seem to like women, also somehow showcases the most stylish and glamorous female outfits. I wish I could so casually rock a scarf, sunglasses and hat without looking like I’m trying way too hard. Also, I wish that this film’s concept that women go on vacation to frolic nude with their female friend was real. That would make my life a lot better.

Overall rating: 3.4/10

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