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Crime Cult Classic

In 1970s Milan, love and survival collide for a woman trapped between a crime boss and a world-famous surgeon.

ANNA: THE PLEASURE, THE TORMENT

1973 · 1h 40m · NR · Crime / Drama · IMDB TMDB

A beautiful but poor young girl finds all the money and material goods she never had when she becomes the girlfriend of a crime boss, but soon learns that there is a price to be paid for that kind of life.

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Quick Answer

What is Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment about?

Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment is a 1973 Italian crime drama directed by Giuliano Carnimeo about a young woman's struggle between a criminal lover and a renowned surgeon in the gritty underbelly of Milan.

Programmer's Pick

This is prime 1970s Italian melodrama—mean streets, meaner men, and a heroine who pays dearly for every bitter pleasure. Edwige Fenech delivers on both glamour and anguish, with Milan as a backdrop for sex, drugs, and betrayal.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment delves into the turbulent life of Anna, a beautiful young woman tied to Guido, a drug trafficker in 1970s Milan. Anna’s journey includes an unplanned pregnancy and her refusal to terminate it, leading her to raise a sickly child, Paolo, who requires ongoing care. While Guido is imprisoned, Anna crosses paths with Lorenzo, a celebrated Milanese surgeon who saves Paolo’s life. As Anna's bond with Lorenzo deepens, she finds herself under increasing pressure from Guido, whose jealousy and interference threaten to upend her chance at a different life. This film blends gritty crime drama with deeply personal stakes, all set against the tension-filled landscape of Italian exploitation cinema.

Details & Specs

Director
Giuliano Carnimeo
Writers
Luciano Martino, Sauro Scavolini, Ernesto Gastaldi, Francesco Milizia
Release
1973
Runtime
1h 40m
Country
Italy
Language
Italian
Genres
Crime, Drama
Also Known As
L'emprise des sens, Ana, ese particular placer, Mia thesi stin amartia, Fra asken til ilden - Hvid slavehandel, Secrets of a Call Girl, Yilan soyu, La sonrisa del chacal, Original title: Anna, quel particolare piacere

Why This Matters

This Italian crime-drama directed by Giuliano Carnimeo is noted for its strong cinematography and well-cast actors, though critics found it uneven in tone, highlighting the challenges of blending genre elements in early 1970s Italian cinema.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Giuliano Carnimeo Writers: Luciano Martino +3 more
Edwige Fenech Edwige Fenech Anna Lovisi Corrado Pani Corrado Pani Guido Salvi Richard Conte Richard Conte Riccardo Sogliani John Richardson John Richardson Lorenzo Viotto Ettore Manni Ettore Manni Zuco Laura Bonaparte Laura Bonaparte Loredana PL Paolo Lena Paolo Ennio Balbo Ennio Balbo Frossi Gabriella Giacobbe Gabriella Giacobbe la suora dell'asilo Corrado Gaipa Corrado Gaipa Doctor Antonio Casale Antonio Casale il complice di Sogliani Umberto Raho Umberto Raho Sogliani's lawyer Bruno Corazzari Bruno Corazzari Albino Carla Calò Carla Calò Anna's mother Aldo Barberito Aldo Barberito Anna's father Wilma Casagrande Wilma Casagrande suzy Tom Felleghy Tom Felleghy Porter John Bartha John Bartha Gerli Carla Mancini Carla Mancini BB Bruno Boschetti Shirley Corrigan Shirley Corrigan Lisa Vittorio Pinelli Vittorio Pinelli l'agente dell'Interpol ID Iride De Santis

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Why Cult

Edwige Fenech Saga

Cult icon Edwige Fenech leads as Anna, shifting from alluring to tragic in a single reel.

Milan’s Underworld

Step into the crime-ridden, neon-lit alleys of 1970s Milan, where every deal comes with a cost.

Italian Exploitation Flair

From erotic tension to raw melodrama, it checks all the grindhouse boxes: forced choices, violence, and sexual intrigue.

Medical Melodrama

High-stakes surgery and fragile lives collide with crime, giving the drama an extra jolt of anxiety.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Guido's release from prison

Threat

Guido's violent jealousy

Effect

Endangers Anna and disrupts her new relationship

Countermeasure

Anna's desperate act of self-defense

Setting

Seventies Milan criminal circles

Questions from the Vault

When was Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment released? +

Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment was released in 1973.

Who directed Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment? +

Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment was directed by Giuliano Carnimeo.

How long is Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment? +

Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment has a runtime of 100 minutes.

What genre is Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment? +

Anna: the Pleasure, the Torment is a crime drama.

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