StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Loui Blair It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

avik-basu1889 '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.

Jackson Booth-Millard This is an Italian film I found in the pages of the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, I didn't know what to expect, I just hoped it would be worthy of its placement, directed by Luchino Visconti (Ossessione, Rocco and His Brothers, The Leopard). Basically set in the spring of 1866, during the last days of the Austrian occupation and the Third Italian War of Independence, the unhappily married Countess Livia Serpieri (The Third Man's Alida Valli) witnesses her cousin Marquis Roberto Ussoni (Massimo Girotti) organising a protest. Roberto challenges the dashing young Austrian Lieutenant Franz Mahler (Rope's Farley Granger) to a duel at the La Fenice opera house in Venice, Roberto is arrested and sent to the exile for one year. During the commotion, Livia meets Franz, she hates him at first, but spending a night walking together she falls deeply in love with him, they begin a secretive love affair, despite the fact that Franz's radical behaviour was responsible for Roberto's arrest, Livia pretends to be unaware of this. Franz is obviously using Livia for her money and social status, but Livia throws herself into the sexual affair, giving away her money and not caring about the opinions of her in society, but soon she becomes consumed by jealously and paranoia as Franz fails to show up for appointments. War breaks out, forcing Livia and Franz apart, her husband takes her with him to escape the carnage to the villa in the country, but late one night Franz shows up, demanding more money from Livia to bribe the army doctors and keep him away from the battlefield, she complies and gives all money she had saved for Roberto, her betrayal have tragic consequences. Eventually Livia is almost driven mad being unable to see Franz, but she rejoices when she receives a letter from him, in it he thanks her for financial support, but tells her not to look for him, Livia ignores this and heads for Verona to find her lover. Livia finds Franz, but is devastated to find him as a drunk and self-loathing rogue, with a young prostitute, and mocking her, after forcing her to drink with the prostitute Franz angrily throws Livia out,. Livia's sanity is slipping, she heads to the headquarters of the Austrian Army, with the letter he sent her Franz is arrested for treason and executed by firing squad, Livia is now truly insane and is last seen running into the night crying out her lover's name. Also starring Heinz Moog as Count Serpieri and Rina Morelli as Laura. The director originally wanted to cast Ingrid Bergman and Marlon Brando, but Roberto Rossellini put his foot down and said Bergman only worked for him, she was also not interested, while Brando was shunned by the producers. But Valli proves a good choice as the countess used by a cavalry officer, well played by Granger, I could just about follow the story whilst having to read the subtitles, it is essentially a doomed romance going against country and social class, it may have been slow and predictable in places, but overall it is an interesting melodrama. Worth watching!

MartinHafer "Sanso" looks nice. It has a nice, sweeping look to it and if the color print received a bit of conservation (cleaning up the print a bit and sharpening it as well), it would be a gorgeous movie. But, it's also a great example of a film which suffers because the main characters are complete moral degenerates and are therefore difficult to relate to or care for during the course of the movie.This film is set around the time of the Italian independence movement in the late 1860s and into the early 1870s. The Italians, long dominated and ruled by outsiders, are uniting under Garibaldi and are trying to gain self-rule. In the midst of this is a terribly confusing Countess (Alida Valli). On one hand, she supports the independence movement through her cousin and his efforts. Yet, completely inexplicably, she falls for an Austrian officer--who is her sworn enemy. It seems that despite being on opposite sides, they have a common love...him. So, in essence, her ideals mean nothing and she's willing to throw away her opulent life with the Count and her country for some Germanic stud. In fact, at one point, she makes herself a traitor by giving the lover money which was gathered to support the Italian army...and all for love (or at least what this whore thinks is love).While many reviewers seemed to like this film, I couldn't get past the characters. While there was no obvious reason for the lovers to be together, they were. And, because they were both selfish and nasty, you really don't care what happens to them. After all, she's an adulteress, thief and a traitor. He's a coward, cheats on his new lover and is a deserter. Sounds like a relationship made in heaven, right?!The bottom line is that no matter how good the film looks and how well it's acted, it's just about some boorish jerks--and that makes it a film I could have just as soon skipped.

emuir-1 I looked for this film after seeing scenes in Martin Scorcese's "My voyage to Italy". Unfortunately, the video I watched was taken from a badly faded print, so bad in fact, that I had to turn off the color in order to watch it. This magnificent operatic drama deserves being restored to full color and released on DVD.Warning - spoiler ahead.From the beginning, at a performance of Il Trovatore, the film follows a grande passionate story of love, betrayal and revenge. It's dramatic conclusion scored points with everyone who has ever wanted to get even with someone who had it coming. Not since "I Claudius" and "The Godfather" have I see such determined cold blooded revenge.Thankfully, this move was not made for a US audience or we would have had the cosy Hollywood ending with a kiss and make up as the happy lovers ride away into the sunset.