Woman of Straw (1964)

Director:

Basil Dearden

Writers:

Catherine Arley (novel)
Robert Muller (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

27 August 1964 (West Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Tyrannical but ailing tycoon Charles Richmond becomes very fond of his attractive Italian nurse, Maria...

Plot Keywords:

Yacht | Inheritance | Millionaire | Nurse | Poison

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Gina Lollobrigida	...	Maria Marcello
Sean Connery	...	Anthony 'Tony' Richmond
Ralph Richardson	...	Charles Richmond
Alexander Knox	...	Detective Inspector Lomer
Johnny Sekka	...	Thomas
Laurence Hardy	...	Baynes, the butler
Peter Madden	...	Yacht Captain
Danny Daniels	...	Fenton
Noel Howlett	...	Assistant Solicitor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Douglas Wilmer	...	Dr. Murray (scenes deleted)

Runtime:

122 min | Germany:117 min | Argentina:118 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:A (1964) | Finland:K-16 | West Germany:12 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

Company:

Michael Relph Productions

Trivia:

The novel which this film is based on was originally published in France under the title "La Femme de Paille" by Catherine Arley in 1953.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ken Adam: Designing Bond (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Movie music

Music soothes the savage breast.

Catherine Arley's novel and the play which followed both used to take place in Germany,just after the war.The nurse character was a survivor who had absolutely nothing left and thus had nothing to lose.She read a "job" advertisement -very special- in a paper and she wound up in a noble's desirable mansion.

Hence the changes:the nurse becomes Italian,and the greybeard and his nephew English.It does not make a big difference,and the movie is entertaining anyway.Too slow in its first part,it gains momentum later,and by the last third he's hit its stride:there are almost scary scenes :the old man's sunglasses,the cigarette in the car,the detective in the dead's wheelchair.Lollobrigida,Connery -at "Goldfinger' time- and Richardson give effective performances and the plot is full of suspense.

The old fogey digs classical music which he keeps listening to all day;it does not soothe the savage breast,as far as he's concerned,but Gina does.