Bellocchio's second film is a double-edged satire aimed at the provincial Italian family and at the decadent left, new and old. In particular, Bellocchio has said, “we wanted to unmask (or at least to provoke and irritate) all those satirical authors of the Italian cinema who feel themselves the caustic correctors of this social-democratic state of affairs but who, in the end, with a helpless shrug, accept it.” Thus, Bellocchio's attack is made of the stuff of traditional Italian cinema--sex and politics; but each of his characters is lost in pursuit of integration into the social structure, to the detriment of ideals. Vittorio and Elena are a brother and sister in their thirties, living in an ornate provincial palace. She advocates sex without marriage, while he seeks a measure of political glory and his secretary, Giovanna. Their younger brother, along with his enthusiastic pals, pursues a Maoist line with great vigor. Photographed by Tonino Delli Colli, who worked on most of Pasolini's films.