Probably better known as the brother of Rossano Brazzi, one of the more popular male leads during the golden age of Italian cinema, Oscar Brazzi began working in the industry as a production designer in the 1950s and by the early 1960s he moved into production design working with many notable directors including Roberto Rossellini, Steno, Marco Bellocchio and Mauro Bolognini. Clearly not content with production duties he graduated into director’s chair in the latter half of the 1960s where he debuted with a trilogy of films looking at youth issues. The first in the series, Secret Diary of a Minor, was produced on an extremely low budget but proved to be a big box-office draw and so, utilizing much of the same cast, he set to work on a sequel, Secret Life of an 18-Year-Old.

Due Fogli Poster

Originally intended as an exploitation film masquerading as a social commentary about students having to prostitute themselves to fund their lifestyles, unfortunately for Oscar Brazzi the censors took a mighty axe to it and what remains feels much more like a romantic comedy than any kind of exposè of youth corruption. Much of the main plot line appears to have been removed but what remains is still an enjoyable film, probably saved by some convincing performances from the two leads.

Script by Renato Polselli, Oscar Brazzi and Rossano Brazi

Note: The cineromanzo Bigfilm N.2/Apr.70 seems to predate the film’s censor submission and contains some shots of the excised footage.