This film is set in the rice fields of Northern Italy where Doris Dowling (Francesca) has joined a band of illegal female workers. However, she is also carrying some stolen jewellery and she is biding her time until her partner-in-crime Vittorio Gassman (Walter) turns up, if he turns up at all. For Gassman is currently on the run from the police. Also working in the rice fields is Silvana Mangano who knows what Dowling is carrying
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The story is interesting in that it is set somewhere different and shot on location. It also has a beginning that grips you. Unfortunately, the acting isn't particularly good and Dowling and Mangano portray a very unconvincing relationship with each other. Much praise is given to Silvana Mangano - I assume for being good looking in the eyes of some – and whilst she may like giving it jazz hands and exhibiting her dance routine, she needed to be given some acting lessons. Worst offender is the woman who breaks down screaming in the middle of the fields. What was that about? It's just hysterical nonsense. This scene comes after a rather amusing whipping scene.
The film could have taken some interesting directions at the end, and that is what we watch for. I'm afraid we get let down by a predictably melodramatic ending full of clichés. I found it all rather disappointing after a good start to the film where we are drawn into a chase and given some tense scenes. The film is part of the Italian Neorealism genre but I didn't see any Italian ice-cream so it's not that realistic. And no-one said "Mamma mia!" or, thankfully, "Pronto!"
The story is interesting in that it is set somewhere different and shot on location. It also has a beginning that grips you. Unfortunately, the acting isn't particularly good and Dowling and Mangano portray a very unconvincing relationship with each other. Much praise is given to Silvana Mangano - I assume for being good looking in the eyes of some – and whilst she may like giving it jazz hands and exhibiting her dance routine, she needed to be given some acting lessons. Worst offender is the woman who breaks down screaming in the middle of the fields. What was that about? It's just hysterical nonsense. This scene comes after a rather amusing whipping scene.
The film could have taken some interesting directions at the end, and that is what we watch for. I'm afraid we get let down by a predictably melodramatic ending full of clichés. I found it all rather disappointing after a good start to the film where we are drawn into a chase and given some tense scenes. The film is part of the Italian Neorealism genre but I didn't see any Italian ice-cream so it's not that realistic. And no-one said "Mamma mia!" or, thankfully, "Pronto!"