A rather unpleasant character played by Ian Bannen is the moody anti-hero here, on vacation in Italy with girlfriend Vanessa Redgrave whom he looks at with contempt pretty much the moment they get there. When she catches him ogling the pretty French Jeanne Moreau, she throws a drink in his face, and the scene cuts to the beach where he simply asks her what is wrong. What's wrong, you wonder, when he has pretty much announced that he thinks they should stop seeing each other. That's pretty much the end of Vanessa in this film, having had a busy season in basically her second year on the big screen, taking on a queen's crown in the movie version of "Camelot".
Redgrave's husband, Tony Richardson, gave her this small but vital part, and while she's intelligent, graceful and certainly not worthy of Bannen's dismissive behavior, she's also frightfully insecure. But the way that Bannen seemingly treats her would make any one insecure, and she's better off without him. For Bannen and Moreau who begin to spend the remainder of their vacation together, it's Bannen's turn to get the feeling of rejection as Moreau makes it clear that she is still in love with the titled character who had to run off when he was wanted for murder. Bannen, who confesses to only having once killed a pigeon, gets to see his heart murdered, having already practically destroyed Redgrave's soul.
The cheap look of this film is beneficial, having the look and sound of the new wave of foreign films that were gaining much attention among the artsy film critics. That makes the film's mood all the more grim which adds to the audience's frustration with Bannen even though he's an intriguing character to watch with the hope he's taken down. Add in Orson Welles in a brief role along with Hugh Griffith ("Ben Hur"), and there's enough of an artsy atmosphere to challenge the eye and ear. This is the type of film to be completely alert for as to not miss anything. The challenge is worth it if you are ready.
Redgrave's husband, Tony Richardson, gave her this small but vital part, and while she's intelligent, graceful and certainly not worthy of Bannen's dismissive behavior, she's also frightfully insecure. But the way that Bannen seemingly treats her would make any one insecure, and she's better off without him. For Bannen and Moreau who begin to spend the remainder of their vacation together, it's Bannen's turn to get the feeling of rejection as Moreau makes it clear that she is still in love with the titled character who had to run off when he was wanted for murder. Bannen, who confesses to only having once killed a pigeon, gets to see his heart murdered, having already practically destroyed Redgrave's soul.
The cheap look of this film is beneficial, having the look and sound of the new wave of foreign films that were gaining much attention among the artsy film critics. That makes the film's mood all the more grim which adds to the audience's frustration with Bannen even though he's an intriguing character to watch with the hope he's taken down. Add in Orson Welles in a brief role along with Hugh Griffith ("Ben Hur"), and there's enough of an artsy atmosphere to challenge the eye and ear. This is the type of film to be completely alert for as to not miss anything. The challenge is worth it if you are ready.