For the Love of Maria Stella (1946)
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
The Italian Malacarne was released in English-speaking countries as For the Love of Mariastella. Filmed in Sicily, the story takes place in a tiny fishing village that has suffered a four-year dry spell. No tuna will dare swim into the local waters because of the presence of a so-called sea monster. Native fisherman Turi (Otello Tosi) takes it upon himself to strike out in his flimsy vessel, hoping to capture and kill the unknown beast. A secondary plotline concerns the romance between Turi and the toothsome Mariastella (Mariella Lotti). Malacarne originally ran 130 minutes, prompting one critic to suggest that the film be re-edited into two separate movies, then re-issued as a double feature.