Lonely Hearts

Lonely Hearts

Year: 1970

Runtime: 121 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Franco Giraldi

Drama

The marriage of a bored upper class couple gets in a crisis.

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Timeline & Setting – Lonely Hearts (1970)

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Time period

Location

Lake Como, Italy

Lake Como serves as a tranquil, picturesque backdrop for the couple's summer. The lakeside villa represents affluence and leisure characteristic of northern Italy. The serene environment intensifies the underlying tension as desires collide with propriety.

🌊 Lake Como 🏡 Lakeside villa 🗺️ Northern Italy

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:18

Main Characters – Lonely Hearts (1970)

Meet the key characters of Lonely Hearts (1970), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Stefano (Ugo Tognazzi)

Stefano is a 45-year-old architect living a refined, monotonous life with his wife Giovanna. He presents a moral exterior but secretly seeks novelty and excitement, especially through partner swapping. His flirtations escalate from casual moral talk to orchestrating encounters, while his grip on reality loosens as fantasy clashes with circumstance.

💼 Upper-class life 💘 Infidelity 🤔 Internal conflict

Giovanna (Senta Berger)

Giovanna is a young housewife whose disinterest in Stefano's swapping fantasies masks a yearning for meaning. She appears compliant but quietly negotiates her own boundaries, eventually revealing a willingness to explore, though not without resistance. Her perspective anchors the moral tension of the story as she confronts temptation and truth.

🏡 Domestic life 💬 Communication and boundaries 💔 Emotional struggle

Diego (Orso Maria Guerrini)

Diego is cultivated and handsome, inviting Giovanna's attention in the palazzo as Gabriella flirts with Stefano. He embodies elegance and control, which complicates the lovers' game and challenges Stefano's jealousy and fantasies.

🎼 Classical music 🏛️ Sophistication 💖 Temptation

Gabriella (Gianna Serra)

Gabriella is Diego's companion and a catalyst in the palace encounter. She engages Stefano and Giovanna in a night of seduction, exposing the fragility of their agreements and the unpredictability of desire. Her presence drives the plot toward the moment of revelation and aftermath.

💃 Seduction 🗺️ Palazzo intrigue 🔥 Temptation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:18

Major Themes – Lonely Hearts (1970)

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💔 Infidelity

Stefano's outward moralism gradually gives way to curiosity and appetite for forbidden experiences. He invites other couples and entertains fantasies of partner swapping, revealing a chasm between appearance and desire. Giovanna resists this fantasy, clinging to her own boundaries, yet the couple's marriage becomes tested by temptation and secrecy.

🔥 Desire and Temptation

The urge for novelty drives Stefano toward flirting and sexual experimentation, while Giovanna's reluctance and curiosity collide with his persistence. The bewitching interlude at the Palazzo with Diego and Gabriella culminates in both intrigue and doubt. The moment when Stefano experiences a block and can't find Giovanna exposes the fragility of their intoxicating plan. The couple's pursuit of excitement threatens to unravel their relationship.

🎼 Class and Luxury

The story unfolds against an emblematic display of affluence—summer villas, elegant palazzos, and a piano recital. Music, art, and wealth frame the couple's fantasies, amplifying the contrast between refined taste and animal desire. The setting at Lake Como and the Ticino club scenes highlight how leisure can disguise insecurity and lead to deception. The dream of control over affection clashes with the unpredictability of human longing.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:18

Unlock the Full Story of Lonely Hearts

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Lonely Hearts Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Lonely Hearts, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Lonely Hearts Summary

Lonely Hearts Timeline

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Lonely Hearts Timeline

More About Lonely Hearts

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Lonely Hearts (1970) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Lonely Hearts (1970) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Lonely Hearts (1970) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow