Starring Alida Valli, Farley Granger, Heinz Moog

(6-Good Film)

Gorgeous. Sumptuous. Lurid.

Set in Italy during Austrian occupation, a married Italian Countess (Valli) strikes up an affair with the Austrian officer (Granger) responsible for her cousin’s exile. Viewed as one of Luchino Visconti’s best, I remain mostly indifferent to his work though I love the individual parts. The imagery is gorgeous. The acting, in the context of a melodrama, is very good. The setting and story are intriguing, and yet this picture never grabbed me. Like the few other films by Visconti that I’ve seen, there’s a character at the center of Senso that’s completely deplorable, making for a difficult watch.

-Walter Tyrone Howard-

(294)