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The Grim Reaper

1962 1h 34m Drama List
86% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Roman police detectives interrogate a series of potential perpetrators in their struggle to determine whom to arrest for the brutal murder of a beautiful prostitute whose body is discovered in a park on the day of a torrential rainstorm. One by one, the prime suspects -- girl-crazy teenager Nino (Giancarlo De Rosa), pickpocket Canticchia (Francesco Ruiu), a soldier on leave, a tourist and a pimp -- recount the events of the day to the police, each insisting he is innocent.

Critics Reviews

View All (7) Critics Reviews
Time Out Offers more than filmographic interest. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review A.H. Weiler New York Times Mr. Bertolucci's dissections reveal the lying and viciousness common to these beasts in the human jungle. Rated: 4/5 May 9, 2005 Full Review J. R. Jones Chicago Reader The result is stylish and occasionally haunting. Mar 5, 2005 Full Review Fernando F. Croce CinePassion Bernardo Bertolucci the poet, declaring a change of medium Nov 17, 2009 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Never loses its grip on the viewer. Rated: A Jan 23, 2006 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 4/5 Aug 7, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Bertolucci has described how he approached the making of the film as if writing a poem, serving what he felt to be the principle subject, the passing of time. The fluidity of La commare seccaâ??s time structure, with the film constantly folding in on itself, is like a pre-echo of the way he would later edit TheConformist, in which the car journey toward the assassination becomes a recurring event, with the main body of the narrative told in flash-back. But unlike that film, La commare secca is an investigation without a central protagonist and has no overt moral stance. Instead, the filmâ??s attitude is one of an almost innocent enchantment, with the camera moving eloquently across landscapes (such as the magnificent pan from the Tiber River filled with bathing kids to the dance platform where the murderer is arrested) and exploring faces with a tender gaze. Bertolucci has always shown an acute sensitivity to the human form, and itâ??s particularly evident here in the delicacy of the scenes with the two young boys and their noticeably more mature objects of desire. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member I feel really mean today. In a park in Rome a prostitute turns up dead and the police have no idea who did it. They begin investigating the crime and interrogate a large number of witnesses; of which, each tell a different part of the story in a way the detectives can hopefully piece together the night's events. "I brought you into this world and I'll take you out of it." Bernerdo Bertolucci, director of Little Buddha, Stealing Beauty, Besieged, Me and You, The Dreamers, 1900, Luna, and Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man, delivers Grim Reaper. The storyline for this picture is fairly mediocre and just okay. The dialogue was entertaining and the character interactions were just okay and the cast delivers believable performances. "He's an unknown soldier." This recently aired on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) during the Halloween season so I had to DVR it. This was very mediocre and a bit bland and uneventful. Overall, I recommend skipping this, even for fans of the genre. "You're implicated in the murder of a prostitute." Grade: C- Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member this film marks the directorial debut of gr8 Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member The Rashoman-alike approach meets with Pasolini social awareness and gives birth to Bertolucci's stylish directorial debut. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Bertolucci's first feature draws its plot from the giallo tradition (investigation into the murder of a prostitute). However, with a look to the French New Wave, this is told in a freer arthouse style, with four suspects reviewing their activities of the night in question. Seemingly hand-held camera, some experimental cutting, location shooting. Offers a glimpse into some Italian lives of the time but Bertolucci improved after this. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member A slow moving but haunting film. Similar to Rashomon, but not as good. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Grim Reaper

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Movie Info

Synopsis Roman police detectives interrogate a series of potential perpetrators in their struggle to determine whom to arrest for the brutal murder of a beautiful prostitute whose body is discovered in a park on the day of a torrential rainstorm. One by one, the prime suspects -- girl-crazy teenager Nino (Giancarlo De Rosa), pickpocket Canticchia (Francesco Ruiu), a soldier on leave, a tourist and a pimp -- recount the events of the day to the police, each insisting he is innocent.
Director
Bernardo Bertolucci
Screenwriter
Pier Paolo Pasolini, Bernardo Bertolucci, Sergio Citti
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Italian
Release Date (DVD)
Feb 1, 2005
Runtime
1h 34m