This is a very underrated film that deserves to be rediscovered. The story does not seem much at first and seems like a simple love story and an excuse to show off two beautiful European film stars in lovely locations.
But the film grows on you when one thinks of how the man ruins both their lives. The scenes in the antiques store with Lotte Lenya are quite sinister. It's chilling when the man and the old woman talk of Mussolini which is the only way to get the old woman to talk of the woman he's looking for.
Sidney Lumet rehearsed with his actors for two weeks before shooting which is why the performances are so good. Omar Sharif and Anouk Aimee are more than pretty faces and give a lot of depth to their characters.
Apparently the film failed to find an audience because Metro had high hopes for it and sent it to the Cannes film festival where it was not well received. One could not then serve europeans an European film made by an American. Lumet had used Fellinis set decorator and Antonionis photographer and as Sharif said "it was not quite Fellini, not quite Antonioni and not quite Lumet".
So Metro panicked recut it without Lumet and did not release it to cinemas. What a shame. It is a little gem worth repeated viewings. It was shown on TV recut with rock music! If only the studio had released it the word of mouth would have been good. It could never have been a hit though, as it is too tragic at he end.
Sidney Lumet, you made a lovely film! You can be proud of it.
But the film grows on you when one thinks of how the man ruins both their lives. The scenes in the antiques store with Lotte Lenya are quite sinister. It's chilling when the man and the old woman talk of Mussolini which is the only way to get the old woman to talk of the woman he's looking for.
Sidney Lumet rehearsed with his actors for two weeks before shooting which is why the performances are so good. Omar Sharif and Anouk Aimee are more than pretty faces and give a lot of depth to their characters.
Apparently the film failed to find an audience because Metro had high hopes for it and sent it to the Cannes film festival where it was not well received. One could not then serve europeans an European film made by an American. Lumet had used Fellinis set decorator and Antonionis photographer and as Sharif said "it was not quite Fellini, not quite Antonioni and not quite Lumet".
So Metro panicked recut it without Lumet and did not release it to cinemas. What a shame. It is a little gem worth repeated viewings. It was shown on TV recut with rock music! If only the studio had released it the word of mouth would have been good. It could never have been a hit though, as it is too tragic at he end.
Sidney Lumet, you made a lovely film! You can be proud of it.