The Key (1983 film)

The Key
Italian film poster for The Key
Directed byTinto Brass
Screenplay byTinto Brass
Based onKagi
by Junichiro Tanizaki
Produced byGiovanni Bertolucci
Starring
CinematographySilvano Ippoliti
Edited byTinto Brass
Music byEnnio Morricone
Production
company
  • San Francisco Film
Release date
  • 1983 (1983)
Running time
116 minutes
CountryItaly
LanguagesItalian
English
Budget$200,000

The Key (Italian: La chiave) is an Italian erotic film directed by Tinto Brass. Set in Venice under the fascist regime in the early months of 1940, it recounts a tale of a voluptuous woman in her forties who is unable to respond to her husband but undergoes a belated sexual awakening with her daughter's fiancé, which enables her to please her husband at last. The film caused scandal in some quarters because it contains several explicit shots of nudity (characterised by certain critics as "gynecological") and sex scenes involving the well-known actress Stefania Sandrelli. However, the film ultimately obtained a decent level of commercial success.