Directed by the prolific Michele Massimo Tarantini, La Liceale is the film that launched one of Italian cinema’s most beloved (and infamous) sub-genres: the "commedia sexy all'italiana" set in high school. Starring the radiant Gloria Guida as the innocent yet curious student, this 1975 offering isn't high art, but it is a near-perfect time capsule of its era—breezy, provocative, and unapologetically goofy.
The story follows Gianna (Guida), a beautiful high schooler with a strict father and an overactive libido. After a series of comic misunderstandings—including a mistaken identity involving a prostitute and a stolen exam—she finds herself entangled with a playboy photographer and a clumsy, lovestruck classmate. The plot is merely a clothesline upon which to hang a series of slapstick chases, voyeuristic peeks, and double-entendres.
Furthermore, the pacing is languid. Entire minutes are dedicated to Guida simply riding a bicycle or walking down a hallway to the funky soundtrack. If you need a tight narrative, look elsewhere.