This is a murder case in which the murderer constantly finds himself more inextricable from the trap of his own passion, and as such it is psychologically extremely interesting. Marcello Mastroianni is very young here, a poor teacher struggling to survive but with a great love, Lea Padovani, who also makes a great performance. It's a bleak thriller, you lack those vital corns of humor that Vittorio de Sica always gilded his films with, like also Hitchcock did with masterly strokes, but the story here with its constantly increasing tension is captivating enough. You will never forget Marcello's eyes as Lea leaves him as he thinks for the last time believing him to be guilty, and although a comedian perfectly coupled with Sophia Loren, he made quite a few films to also prove himself capable of great tragedy. The lawyer is a heavy-weight, for that part they chose a German, Karl Ludwig Diehl, and perhaps the most interesting part is his confrontation with Marcello when he has chosen him for his lawyer. This is subtle high gear psychology in the style of Dostoievsky. The music is also remarkable, the composer is the young Carlo Rustichelli, but for the main theme of the film he has chosen Sibelius' "Valse Triste" which comes booming in from the beginning, setting the mood for the wild jealousy that is the main subject of the film.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
