Franca Valeri, born in 1920 in Milan, Italy, is a multifaceted talent known for her work as both an actor and writer. She plays a significant role in Listen, Let's Make Love (1968), where her sharp wit and comedic timing shine through, and she also contributed as a writer for the film. In Poker in Bed (1974), Valeri further demonstrates her prowess in the realm of Italian cinema, blending humor with the complexities of relationships. Her unique voice and perspective have made her a notable figure in the landscape of cult and exploitation cinema.
Poker in Bed
A poker player on a losing streak meets a beautiful young woman. He’s attracted to her, but she appears to be perfectly content with her boyfriend, a somewhat wussy writer. The gambler gets the idea that if he can get this woman into bed, it will change his luck at the gambling tables. Completely absurd from start to finish and filled with maniacally chattering women, sexual slapstick, and toilet humor, Poker in Bed will be too silly for most viewers, but will please admirers of Fenech (the cover image of her is as inviting as she ever looked) and that particular brand of comic idiocy of which only Italians are capable. Cute, sexy theme song, too.
