Ryan-Scheutz (U. of Notre Dame) profiles Italian poet and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolina, and focuses on how women in his films often reflected his attitudes toward corruption in Italian society. By carefully analyzing characters from his films, which the author groups into mothers, daughters, prostitutes, saints and sinners, and parallels are drawn between female protagonists and dominant social values of the time. Film students will note that while these protagonists are flawed, they always represent the forces of good in Pasolini's art. This volume is part of the Toronto Italian Studies series from the U. of Toronto Press. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)