Reviews

I just finished watching this movie and was subsequently surprised by the lack of comments here. It might be a forgotten title next to Tony Richardson's more famous efforts such as Tom Jones but still certainly is worth some attention.

Alan (Ian Bannen) travels to a holiday trip with his girlfriend Sheila (Vanessa Redgrave in one of her first roles) to Florence. While she enjoys the city and its monuments, he searches for something else, not only for the holidays, but for his life. Based on an advice he gets early in the film, he decides to leave the town and travels to the countryside. There, after splitting with Sheila, he befriends Anna (Jeanne Moreau), a rich heiress and yacht owner who is spending her time with an endless search for her long-gone sailor. Her search continues even with Alan on the board, following the clue messages coming from various parts of the world (watch for African Orson Welles' short cameo), but is what she seeks really in one of them ?

The beautiful black and white cinematography visually enhances the story and Antoine Duhamel's score, although featuring only few musicians, has a lush mediterranean, albeit nostalgic, feel. Is the characters' goal contemplative or desperate ? Watch this extraordinary film to find out.