Overview
A unique love story unfolds in a world where beauty is defined by societal norms, challenging perceptions of love and acceptance.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- sardonic
- grotesque
- unsettling
- arthouse film night
- classic cinema program
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Marco Ferreri's film as a sharply satirical and unconventional blend of grotesque comedy and social drama.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Antonio exhibits Maria at fairs and evaluates opportunities according to the profit they may generate.
Antonio marries Maria while continuing to treat her unusual appearance as the basis of his livelihood.
The film is presented in black and white, reinforcing its unsettling contrast between everyday realism and freak-show spectacle.
Maria's excessive hairiness makes her both a public attraction and a figure whose personhood is repeatedly subordinated to others' expectations.
Films like The Ape Woman, and why
Freaks
Shares grotesque social satire, exploitation of marginalized bodies, and a blackly comic treatment of spectacle.
The Elephant Man
Shares tragic outsider themes, physical difference, social prejudice, and compassionate yet unsettling drama.
The King of Comedy
Shares corrosive show-business satire, morally compromised ambition, and uncomfortable dark comedy.
Movie Details
- Director
- Marco Ferreri
- Release Date
- 1964-01-31
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (63)
Cast
- Ugo Tognazzi
- Annie Girardot
- Achille Majeroni
- Filippo Pompa Marcelli
- Ermelinda De Felice
- Elvira Paolini
- Ugo Rossi
- Eva Belami
- Marco Ferreri
- Regina Elena Bisio
Common questions
- What is The Ape Woman about?
- A cynical Neapolitan showman turns his unusually hirsute wife into a fairground attraction, exposing the cruel economics behind public fascination with difference.
- What is The Ape Woman like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Ape Woman as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Ape Woman violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Ape Woman.
- What did critics think of The Ape Woman?
- Critics broadly regard Marco Ferreri's film as a sharply satirical and unconventional blend of grotesque comedy and social drama.
- Which films are like The Ape Woman?
- Films with a similar feel include Freaks, The Elephant Man, and The King of Comedy.
- How long is The Ape Woman?
- The Ape Woman runs 92 minutes.
