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| (director/writer: Valerio Zurlini;screenwriters:LeoBenvenuti/Piero De Bernardi/Enrico Medioli/GiuseppePatroni-Griffi/Giuseppe Bennati/based on astory by Mr. Zurlini; cinematographer:Tino Santoni; editor:MarioSerandrei; music:MarioNascimbene;cast:Claudia Cardinale(Aida), Jacques Perrin (Lorenzo), Corrado Pani (Marcello), LucianaAngelico (Aunt Martha),GianMariaVolonté (Piero),RiccardoGarrone(Romolo), RomoloValli (Father Introna); Runtime:109; MPAA Rating: NR;producer:Maurizio Lodi-Fe;Koch Vision; 1961-Italy/France-dubbedinEnglish) |
| IthasClaudia Cardinale at her charming best. Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz Valerio Zurlini ("Black Jesus"/"Violent Summer"/"FamilyDiary"), a once celebrated but now forgotten filmmaker with nodistinctive style, who made onlyeightfeaturefilms over a 20-year career,superblydirects this appealing classicItalian b/w film that slipped under the radar and is rarely seen atpresent--but deserves to be rediscovered. It hasClaudia Cardinale at her charming best,following her breakthrough role in Rocco and his Brothers (1960). It'sbased on a story by Zurlini and is written byLeoBenvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, GiuseppePatroni-Griffi and Giuseppe Bennati. Aida (ClaudiaCardinale) is a sultry young nightclubsinger who is havinga stormy affair with Piero (GianMaria Volonté), the leader of asmall-time dance band inRiccione. Marcello (Corrado Pani),a wealthy playboy, seduces the gold-digger to quit her job, as he luresher to run away with him by promising through his connections he cansecure for her a film career. The cad surprisingly abandons her nearParma--leaving her on the road withonlyhersuitcase, thus ending their two-week relationship. The irateand not-too-swift Aida somehow gets Marcello's home address in Parma,wherehe lives with his Aunt Martha (LucianaAngelico), his absentee businessmanfather, and innocent younger 16-year-old brother Lorenzo (Jacques Perrin). Marcello orders hisyounger brother to get rid of Aida when she shows up at his doorsteps,but Lorenzo becomes smitten with the older woman and anoints himself asher protector--feeling sorry for her plight caused by his olderbrother's bad behavior and because he's attracted to Aida and wants toassert his manhood.Lorenzo thereby gets money from his aunt by lyingto her and registers Aida in a fancy hotel, and also buys her expensivedresses so she can fit into the ritzy surroundings. The older womanrealizes the teenager also wants to get in her pants like the olderguys, but she's at least smart enough to realize the affair has nochance of working in the real world and tries to discourage it. Whenthe family priest (RomoloValli)gets wind of therelationship, he speaks with Aida to tell her the truth about what ishappening and he convinces her to return to her hometown. But theheadstrongLorenzo follows herthere to win her over, until he too realizes this match is not meant tobe. But he feels sorry for Aida's troubles and leaves her a large sumofmoney before he returns to Parma. Theillicit love story is tenderly played out against the background of thecold real world of showbiz and the kid's cold bourgeois setting, by asympatheticCardinale and anendearing Perrin--who both make you care about what happens to them.Zurlinikeepsaway for the most part the sentimentality and allows a poignantcoming-of-age tale to prosper in a tasteful way. REVIEWED ON 4/29/2010 GRADE: A- Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ |
