'Senso' directed by Italian master Luchino VIsconti marked his first departure from neo-realism. This is a grand operatic romance which manages to tie in a social and political subtext with it. From a visual standpoint, this is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. Right from the first shot to the final one, the film remains colourful and visually vibrant which is enhanced by Visconti and his cinematographer's exquisite framing and compositions. The film has a melodramatic/operatic tone to it. 'Senso' falls in line with a number of other films made during this era of the 50s all around the world that came to be known as 'Women's Films'. These movies generally were melodramas with a female protagonist having to go through tough times and even tragedies for the sake of love and romance. 'Senso' with its melodrama and visual flair reminded me of the Douglas Sirk films. But more than Sirk, the name that constantly came across my mind Max Ophüls. I couldn't help but find similarities with 'The Earrings of Madame de
' due to the film revolving around aristocracy, opulence as well as having a protagonist who is an older mature woman engaging in infidelity. 'Senso' has a rich political and social context. It is set at a specific moment in Italian history when the Austrian occupation of Venice was about to face violent rebellion from native Venetians who were fighting for liberation from Austria and merging of Venice with Italy. The central characters and the illicit romance in the film go hand in hand with the politics and nationalist movement which reminded me of Satyajit Ray's 'The Home and the World'. On a broad level, 'Senso' seems to be a sensitive, but at the same time scathing criticism of the aristocracy and the upper class. Livia betraying her rebel cousin Roberto just for the sake of her love/lust for the Austrian officer Franz has to symbolise the rich, upper class and the aristocracy turning their back on the ideals and ideology of the nationalist movement. On the other hand, based on a more personal reading, the film seems to be about identity and the idea of compromising your morals and ideals for selfish desires. There are mirrors visible in many shots of the film and there is a scene where Franz actually talks about how he likes to look at himself in the mirror to see whether he is still the man that he was earlier. We see Livia going through a constant fight within herself to decide whether she to stick to her morals and nationalistic ideals or give in to the charm and her yearning for Franz, the Austrian officer. She gives in to her yearning and betrays her ideals. But in the end, she gets a taste of her own medicine when Franz becomes nothing short of a mirror image of her own betrayal and selfishness.
In a film where the main characters aren't the most likable, the actors have to really rise to the top and make the characters really interesting. Farley Granger is good as the cunning and charming Franz. But the film is carried by Alida Valli. She made me believe Livia's attraction toward Franz. Yes she is exaggerated in some of her expressions, but it fits perfectly with the melodramatic tone of the film. 'Senso' wouldn't completely work without Alida Valli's brilliantly emotive performance.
'Senso' is a lavish, sprawling, epic romance with a political subtext. It is a very well made, well acted and thematically deep film that I'd most certainly recommend.
In a film where the main characters aren't the most likable, the actors have to really rise to the top and make the characters really interesting. Farley Granger is good as the cunning and charming Franz. But the film is carried by Alida Valli. She made me believe Livia's attraction toward Franz. Yes she is exaggerated in some of her expressions, but it fits perfectly with the melodramatic tone of the film. 'Senso' wouldn't completely work without Alida Valli's brilliantly emotive performance.
'Senso' is a lavish, sprawling, epic romance with a political subtext. It is a very well made, well acted and thematically deep film that I'd most certainly recommend.