Fabrizio repeatedly begs Sylvia to stay with him forever. Sylvia breaks down sobbing for her mother, all traces of her confidence and maturity lost in the fear of being in the cave.

All three of them go into the cave to escape a thunderstorm and Fabrizio again pretends they are lost as he did with Laura. He insists on taking Sylvia to the ruins for the first time. They make love in front of her, insisting her punishment is that she must watch, leaving Laura confused and heartbroken.Īt the end of summer, with the girls talking about returning to school, Fabrizio becomes pensive and agitated. At one point, they both 'hunt' Laura with bows and arrows and at another, pretend to throw her off a high ledge. Laura, reluctant to leave her old friend and new lover, stays and becomes the target of the duo's ever progressing cruelty. Sylvia, aware of Fabrizio's interest in her, asserts herself in his affections, quickly replacing Laura and demoting her to servant and victim, which Fabrizio takes delight in. Fabrizio develops a fascination with her, eventually bribing Laura to fetch her to the forest to join them in play. Unlike the previously virginal Laura, Sylvia is confident and assertive. Things develop further when they meet Sylvia (Eva Ionesco, age 12). He does relent when she makes it clear she wants Fabrizio to be gentle with her, which he ridicules. At one point he virtually forces himself on Laura, much to her upset. Inside, Fabrizio seduces Laura.įabrizio's cruel streak is boosted by his new sexual confidence.

One day they climb the 'Blue Mountain', a mysterious tall mountain at the forest's edge and discover ancient building ruins. Fabrizio prides himself on being 'king of the forest' and rubbishes Laura's tender attempts to be his queen. He accelerates his unwarranted torment of Laura in many ways, including tying her up and putting a snake near her and killing a pet bird she is fond of. Laura is falling in love with Fabrizio, while he displays a new sexual awareness of her masked by his malice.įabrizio becomes inexplicably cruel. The film represents them as part child, part adult. This summer new aspects enter into their story as both are growing up.

Fabrizio is a solitary boy with only his dog for company Laura is a sweet girl, but she lacks confidence. Laura (Lara Wendel, age 12) and Fabrizio (Martin Loeb, age 18) have been meeting every summer in the forest by her parent's summer home.

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