The Madonna-Whore Complex and Malèna: A Film Analysis

Sigmund Freud's Madonna-whore complex is a psychological theory that should keep people up at night. Freud argued that some men categorize women into two distinct groups: the Madonnas, whom they view as pure, nurturing, and saintly, and the "whores," whom they see as sexual, promiscuous, and enticing. The unsettling part? Men with this complex often struggle to be sexually attracted to the women they place in the Madonna category but can objectify and desire those they categorize as whores.

One film that explores this theory in a striking way is the 2000 Italian film Malèna. Set during World War II, the story is told from the perspective of a young boy, Renato, who experiences his first sexual awakening when he becomes infatuated with Malèna, a beautiful woman awaiting the return of her husband from war. Malèna captivates the entire town—men admire her, while women grow jealous.

However, when news spreads that Malèna's husband has died in battle, the town's perception of her shifts. Men begin to desire her in a more sinister way, while the women accuse her of promiscuity. She is even taken to court over allegations of an affair, and despite proving her innocence, her attorney assaults her, knowing she has no money to pay him.

As time passes, Malèna's reputation deteriorates. She is ostracized, denied work, and abandoned by her father. After his death, she turns to prostitution, altering her appearance by dyeing her hair red and working in a brothel. When Nazi occupiers leave the town, the local women take out their resentment on Malèna, beating her in public, ripping her clothes, and cutting off her hair. Humiliated, she leaves the town.

But then, a twist—her husband, who was thought to be dead, returns. When Malèna comes back to town with him, she is no longer the vibrant, confident woman she once was. She is quieter, more reserved, and dresses conservatively. The same women who once vilified her now treat her with respect, as she no longer poses a threat to them.

So, how does Freud's theory apply to Malèna? The film offers a striking example of the Madonna-whore complex in action. At the beginning, Malèna is seen as a Madonna—married, respectable, and admired from a distance. The town's men “respect" her marriage, but not Malèna herself. Renato, though infatuated, also sees her in this light, idealizing her beauty and grace.

As her reputation is tarnished and her supposed widowhood makes her "available," the men begin to view her as a whore. They spread rumors, objectify her, and treat her as a temptation rather than a person. Renato's perspective begins to shift after witnessing her assault, as he struggles to reconcile his idealized version of Malèna with the town's treatment of her.

Malèna, in turn, internalizes the town's perception of her. Unable to find work, abandoned by her family, and out of options, she conforms to the role they impose on her. The women in town, convinced that they themselves are the Madonnas—pure, nurturing wives and mothers—see Malèna as a threat. Instead of supporting her, they destroy her out of jealousy, enraged that their husbands desire another woman.

When Malèna returns with her husband, she is stripped of her sexuality in the eyes of the town, which allows her to be reaccepted. No longer an object of desire, she is once again placed in the Madonna category, her past erased by her return to marriage and propriety.

The film is a layered exploration of how women are perceived and judged through the lens of male desire. Watching the story unfold through Renato's eyes adds an additional complexity, as he absorbs the attitudes of the men around him while experiencing his own sexual awakening. Had the story been told from Malèna's perspective, it would have been an entirely different film.

Malèna illustrates the double-edged sword of female beauty—the way it can inspire admiration and desire while also provoking envy and cruelty. Through the lens of Freud's theory, the film becomes an unsettling reflection of the ways in which society forces women into rigid, damaging roles, leaving them little room to exist outside of them.