It was interesting to read through the two pages of reviews already in place as I put in my 2 cents worth. Quite a mixed review.
There's a pace to this movie, a speed at which the story unfolds that is rarely seen in contemporary films. Seems we just don't have the patience anymore for such a natural unfolding.
Make that a 1 cent contribution though. I don't have enough of a context to intelligently comment on this film beyond a thought or two. In a way, I see the points made by both the positive and detracting reviews. (The one thing I can say though, unequivocally, I love any movie or TV show shot on location! This one is. They didn't try to pull off a sheep ranch on a Hollywood back lot. Thus we get some nice spring vistas of the Eastern Sierras.)
So anyway, just a couple of thoughts....
1) I had never heard of Anna Magnani. She is a fine actress. She emotes so well through her face and body language she would have made a wonderful silent film era actress. She sure generates a lot of power in this movie. As a man, I would NOT want her character on my case! But I loved watching her torture someone else. (And of course she too was tortured. Women kind of don't like it when the husband calls them by the name of his first wife).
2) There is a moment when she comes to Tony Franciosa's room... the first time she approaches him, as opposed to him approaching her. What was played very well here is the inevitability of the two of them connecting. Neither of them want this! But they are drawn to each other, and sooner or later... and it took a while here, in keeping with the pacing of the film... sooner or later, as long as the two of them lived on the same ranch, they were going to end up in bed. There was just no fighting it. It was as though they were marionettes, and the puppet masters had decided they would join together. And even though they each knew the consequences, they had no choice. You see it her face. That moment of surrender, when she accepted the inevitable fate.
Oh man. I've been there. Have you been there? When you literally cannot stop yourself? This is the kind of love that Plato termed "a serious mental disease". aahhhhh.
There's a pace to this movie, a speed at which the story unfolds that is rarely seen in contemporary films. Seems we just don't have the patience anymore for such a natural unfolding.
Make that a 1 cent contribution though. I don't have enough of a context to intelligently comment on this film beyond a thought or two. In a way, I see the points made by both the positive and detracting reviews. (The one thing I can say though, unequivocally, I love any movie or TV show shot on location! This one is. They didn't try to pull off a sheep ranch on a Hollywood back lot. Thus we get some nice spring vistas of the Eastern Sierras.)
So anyway, just a couple of thoughts....
1) I had never heard of Anna Magnani. She is a fine actress. She emotes so well through her face and body language she would have made a wonderful silent film era actress. She sure generates a lot of power in this movie. As a man, I would NOT want her character on my case! But I loved watching her torture someone else. (And of course she too was tortured. Women kind of don't like it when the husband calls them by the name of his first wife).
2) There is a moment when she comes to Tony Franciosa's room... the first time she approaches him, as opposed to him approaching her. What was played very well here is the inevitability of the two of them connecting. Neither of them want this! But they are drawn to each other, and sooner or later... and it took a while here, in keeping with the pacing of the film... sooner or later, as long as the two of them lived on the same ranch, they were going to end up in bed. There was just no fighting it. It was as though they were marionettes, and the puppet masters had decided they would join together. And even though they each knew the consequences, they had no choice. You see it her face. That moment of surrender, when she accepted the inevitable fate.
Oh man. I've been there. Have you been there? When you literally cannot stop yourself? This is the kind of love that Plato termed "a serious mental disease". aahhhhh.