Ossessione

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laurent b There are some movies from Visconti that are among my favorite movies, like The Leopard, The Wanton Contessa or Conversation Piece, but this first movie bored me a lot. I prefer the Tay Garnett version (1946) called "The Postman always Rings Twice", with Lana Turner and John Garfield. The Visconti version is too long, too slow, and lacks strength in my opinion. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review William L The lure of the story isn't what you might anticipate when considering a murder conspiracy from the perspective of the criminals, which often leans into watching them grow flustered as investigators slowly close the net around them. Instead, Ossessione focuses on the maladjusted personalities of the two leads, their unhealthy chemistry, and the mounting guilt and distress associated with the crime itself rather than the consequences that the pair will face. The crime isn't delicately crafted, but slapshod and the result of passion and desperation; this motivation coupled with a screenplay that heightens the characters' exasperation lend some real authenticity to the film, and have led some to call the film a precursor of the Neorealist movement (along with the fact that many future Neorealists contributed to the project). The plot is somewhat wandering and it's certainly not a fast-paced film, but Ossessione remains an underappreciated work in film history. Makes you wonder what could have been if the Italian Fascists hadn't put the brakes on distribution. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/24/21 Full Review Audience Member A definite Neorealism Italian film and actually one to be considered the first one and for those who don't know Italian Neorealism is film movement characterized by stories set amongst the poor and the working class, filmed on location, frequently using non-professional actors. Which gives it a more Real feeling when it comes to the acting, cinematography was kinda cheesy at times but I've seen worse and overall just a movie some recommended to watch and I didn't like as much as the other ones I've seen Overall plot, Guy likes a married women whose husband owns a restaurant, they conspire to kill live almost happily ever after. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review s r 1001 movies to see before you die. The Italian take on "The Postman Always Rings Twice". Well made and culturally unique. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Quality movie about a man and a married woman falling in love and the tragic that follows. Modern viewers have seen this same story many times, but not many films have managed to tell it as well. Great work all in all. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member The longing of a young beautiful woman for proper love, aged tenfold by a brilliant shot of her slouched over in a corner chair, shadow hitting the wall. Massimo Girotti's attitude as Gino is perfect - when the husband Giuseppe calls for him to eat as he plays harmonica, we can feel his thoughts of not wanting to respond to this old fat man in the way of his love. Terrific, possible foreshadow framing of razor over Giuseppe. Beautiful transition when the artist blows his match out next to Gino in bed. Though it's not a razor Gino ends up killing him with, it is murder that he commits, and ultimately haunts his relationship. They seemed trapped, as if by karmic forces from the past, in a forbidden love. Giovanna is encountering the same problem in Gino she had with her husband, him talking about her like she's not there, framed against an impressionist dusk shot of the river. She walks into a kitchen full of unmanageable dirty dishes, and she just starts eating - no cleaning will get done tonight, she falls asleep. The hotter younger girl Anita comes back to her room finding Gino waiting, carrying a bottle of milk. When we cut back to Giovanna, she seems less and less attractive in her funerary garb, doing disgusting things like blowing her nose at the table, stalking insecurely, obsessively. The ending is absolutely perfect, a cruel twist of fate coming full circle. We started the film inside the truck, driving along a clear path towards the Bragana home,Gino in the back of he truck sneaking his way into this world. Now Gino is escaping it as the driver, obscured by exhaust from the truck in front of him, on the run from everything but unable to get past. In between this framework is a third incident with the truck, the murder of Giuseppe off a levee. Now everything collides as Gino tries to pass, an attempt to escape from the truth they're both running from. Giovanna suffers the cruel fate of death, and Gino will be stuck as an imprisoned murderer for the rest of his life - there is no escape after the truck is knocked off the levee trying to pass. Karma is a bitch. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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