Alicia
I love this movie so much
AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Allison Davies
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
Robert D. Ruplenas
This is a very "European" looking film, with many of the conventions of European film-making. At the beginning I was trying to figure why the film looked or sounded dubbed, even though the characters were all clearly speaking the lines in English. Turns out, as I read elsewhere, that in many European films, the dialogue is overdubbed AFTER the scenes are shot, which was the case here and would explain this. The sound seems detached from what the acoustics of the setting would be. At any rate, it's a great story with a great premise and great acting. Ingrid Bergmann is absolutely mesmerizing here, and Quinn does his usual wonderful work. There are some artificialities in this story of a wronged woman who returns to her natal town to wreak revenge, but on the whole the story is gripping, as we watch the town, driven by greed, slowly turn on one of its own. The black and white photography is perfect for the story. The final scene is a completely surprising plot twist, and powerful in its fateful implications for the town. "The Visit" is a rarity on TV; catch it if you can.
but_you_see
Even though the movie itself wasn't that successful and some critics even stated that it was one of the greatest film-flops in the history of Hollywood and Ingrid Bergman's career, I can just say: Non-sense!!Of course, it IS a challenge to see Ingrid, the lovely Ilsa Lund from Casablanca or funny Anna Kalman from Indiscreet, in the part of the revengeful BAD Lady but oh, what a GREAT challenge!! It is a pleasure to watch her unused cynical and sarcastic behaviour. Even though she starred Carla Zachanassian differently than the book-character, she does an awesome job. It's a pity that she didn't play more such "bad" parts, which she can realize just perfectly!!A must-have for people who just think of Ingrid Bergman being GOOD from head to foot ;) ...
lwarner2
I read Der Besuch Der Alten Dame by Durrenmatt in German in college. This book has been one of my favorites as it shows how people might or could act in a similar situation. The book is superior to movie because of the powerful ending. Displays extreme revenge by a powerful rich woman. Shows how greedy some people are. Makes you wonder who you true friends are. But because the book was written in German and I read many years ago, I have forgotten many details about it. In the movie, the policeman and the young girl were secret lovers like the main characters. The young girl leaves and who knows may become another rich powerful woman who seeks revenge on her lover. Only time will tell. I wonder if I would react as the greedy peasants did.
ce1hyman
I saw this movie years ago and was slowly fascinated by the allure of the plot. I remember thinking when viewing it for the first ten or fifteen minutes that it would be a boring movie. Far from it for as I kept watching I found it to be very entertaining and as one of the most revealing stories about the character of people under stress that I have ever seen. Anthony Quinn was absolutely believable as Serge Miller and the supporting cast was outstanding. I have been looking for a video or DVD version of the movie, since it is aired so infrequently. For me there are two kinds of movies I enjoy, those that I watch once and those I can watch over and over again. This one fits the latter category.
