Fiorile (1993)

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A wonderful tale spanning three hundred years in a family's history of unrequited love. A poor farmer's daughter, Fiorile Benedetti, falls in love with a soldier of Napoleon's troops sent to insure safe passage of a chest of gold. While they tryst, her brother finds the gold on the back of a stray mule. Rather than return the gold, the brother keeps it, prompting the French to kill the soldier; which, in turn, leaves Fiorile listless and pregnant. She places a curse on the person who caused her lover to be killed. This sets off the continuation of the theme through every other generation of Benedettis. Sibling rivalry, greed, power and the rest of the expected fare are featured in this beautifully photographed, sweeping costume drama.