This 30-Year-Old Movie Is Still One of the Most Magnetic Coming-Of-Age Dramas Ever Made

Director Bernardo Bertolucci, the face of the Italian film school, didn't always see eye-to-eye with Italy. He rebelled against conservatism and its political agenda and after the scandal surrounding Last Tango in Paris, he was stripped of his citizenship.

Nevertheless, his movies always bore the stamp of Italian tradition. Stealing Beauty is a visual poem about a young American woman who moves to the Tuscan countryside to learn more about her parents.

Even thirty years later, this movie remains one of the most captivating coming-of-age dramas.

What Is 'Stealing Beauty' About?

Lucy comes to Italy to confront her past. She carries the diary of her deceased poet mother and knows her real father lives here somewhere – she desperately wants to find him.

There are plenty of men of a suitable age, but they have feelings for the young guest that are far from paternal.

She will spend the summer at the villa of longtime family friends, where a motley crew of eccentric artists, sculptors, and writers will gather. Each of them will find in her what they most need.

Finding His Father & Reconciling With His Homeland Are as Important for Bertolucci as They Are for His Main Character, Lucy

The shadow of an influential male figure often looms large in Bertolucci's work. In Stealing Beauty, for the first time, the director creates the image of a father figure with whom he seeks to reconcile, not defeat.

After spending eight years working in Asia, Bertolucci returned to Italy and literally chronicled his return – he compares himself to a foreigner reexamining the culture that nurtured him.

Despite his usual historical and philosophical scope, the director focuses on the dolce far niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing.

The parallels between Bertolucci and Lucy are obvious but oversimplify the portrait of the girl – she is a mirror into which not only the author, but also all the other characters gaze, drawn to her like moths to a flame. At the same time, her image conveys something unique to her alone.

'Stealing Beauty' Is a Movie About Pure and Sincere Beauty Without a Hint of Vulgarity

Bertolucci finds beauty in the richness of meaning – the guest is beautiful because she experiences the world as if for the first time. Lucy explores with childlike innocence, shyly averting her gaze at nudity and being completely indifferent to her own privacy.

Her vibrant beauty is not vulgar – it is fragile, tender, shy, and innocent, qualities that thin with each new sensual experience. From her old friends, Lucy gradually absorbs the weight and awareness of mature love.

In a sense, Stealing Beauty is the director's step toward his native culture. It is an attempt to relearn how to live and speak Italian and reclaim his indigenous identity. Liv Tyler, only 19 years old at the time of filming, perfectly embodies this elusive, pure, and aching beauty.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Stealing Beauty'?

• Stealing Beauty has 50% from critics and 75% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.5/10.

• On Letterboxd, Stealing Beauty scored 3.3/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Stealing Beauty'?

Stealing Beauty is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video.