Vanina Vanini
(1961, Italy/France; Italian with gigantic English subtitles in the middle of the screen; also known as The Betrayer)
Seen on 22 October 1997 at Symphony Space (second of a double feature)
Set in pre-Unification Italy, Vanina Vanini is the story of the love of a young princess (Vanina Vanini) for a young revolutionary freemason (Pietro). It is important to remember two things about this period. First, this is an era when the Pope still owned large portions of land and led considerable armies. Second, a freemason was seen as a heretic and was considered persona non grata.
The action begins in Rome, where Vanina and her maid Clelia discover that her father Asdrubale has hidden a wounded Pietro from the authorities. Pietro is full of revolutionary fervor and Vanina is a good Catholic. Their love is *surely doomed*, especially since the Pope has declared it open season on all freemasons -- and their little friends, too!
As a lavish costume drama, it works best when the movie is set in Rome. There is a ball featuring the forbidden dance--not the lambada but the waltz--and a lot of lubricious characters with witty dialogue. Unfortunately, we do not stay in Rome for most of the time. The story shifts north to Vanina's homeland, Romagna, which is quite spartan by comparison. The dialogue goes from sparkling to rancid once they head north. Their love story goes from touching to overbearing almost instantly. Vanina is tortured with premarital sex-guilt. Pietro goes from loving her to wanting to thrash her--you will want to join him. At best, it is a B-level melodrama. Douglas Sirk did this sort of thing much better.
Since I was seeing an old print, it was unfortunate that the colors seemed faded and many of the outdoor scenes washed out. Of course, since it was filmed in 1961, my pet peeve, the poorly used zoom lens, is abused throughout. All the outdoor shots are shabby and it's easy to see how Italy wound up making Westerns. You half expect to see a tumbleweed roll by.
Asbrubale Vanini--the heroine's father--is not on screen nearly enough, and he has the best lines. His friend the Contessa also would have been a welcome addition, if only we had seen more of her.
It is hard to believe ths was directed by film great Roberto Rossellini.
It also starred Jean-Claude Brialy, Martine Carol, Sandra Milo, Paolo Stoppa, Laurent Terzieff
Based on the story Vanina Vanini by Stendhal.
More movie reviews by Seth Bookey, with graphics, can be found at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2679/kino.html
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