The first IMDb review that pops up in the feed is allegedly written by Rossellini's and Bergman's grandchild. It's a shame the author's identity cannot be authenticated, knowing that anyone can invent a username and purport to be anyone they wish. I hope it's legitimate, because it's a wonderful review. Read it, for sure.
Moving on, I found myself paying attention more to the flaws in the beginning than the film as a whole; but as the story unfolded, I become more and more engrossed. There are some wonderful components to this movie; there are also some disappointing aspects to get past.
The location shooting is breathtaking. The cinematography is a mixed bag of clear, clean visuals and grainy footage. The sound recording is sadly horrific. In all honesty, it should've been subtitled, in my opinion, as the locals used in the film are both hard to understand and extremely difficult to hear. The musical score surprised me in a delightful way.
I actually really liked the storyline. I agree with other users, however, that Bergman's character agreeing to marry a man she hardly knows is implausible. She's a strong-willed, well-coiffed survivor of WWII, having escaped from Czechoslovakia to end up in an Italian internment camp. That she would run off with a stranger whom she herself describes as "crazy", without knowing his occupation or finances, is perplexing.
Bergman's acting is superb. The male lead is quite handsome. The ending is frustratingly ambiguous. And take note that this was filmed before there were protocols in place protecting the welfare of animals used during production.
I will watch this again.
Moving on, I found myself paying attention more to the flaws in the beginning than the film as a whole; but as the story unfolded, I become more and more engrossed. There are some wonderful components to this movie; there are also some disappointing aspects to get past.
The location shooting is breathtaking. The cinematography is a mixed bag of clear, clean visuals and grainy footage. The sound recording is sadly horrific. In all honesty, it should've been subtitled, in my opinion, as the locals used in the film are both hard to understand and extremely difficult to hear. The musical score surprised me in a delightful way.
I actually really liked the storyline. I agree with other users, however, that Bergman's character agreeing to marry a man she hardly knows is implausible. She's a strong-willed, well-coiffed survivor of WWII, having escaped from Czechoslovakia to end up in an Italian internment camp. That she would run off with a stranger whom she herself describes as "crazy", without knowing his occupation or finances, is perplexing.
Bergman's acting is superb. The male lead is quite handsome. The ending is frustratingly ambiguous. And take note that this was filmed before there were protocols in place protecting the welfare of animals used during production.
I will watch this again.