Parfum de femme

I have already watched the American remake, and in comparison to it, the Italian drama holds up better. I have raised my rating from the original four stars to five. This is what an honest film looks like. Dino Risi knows how to work with human emotions very well and handles the screenplay in a way that does not slide into cheap sentimentality, even though the story of a disabled officer who has lost his sight directly invites it. First and foremost, it is a drama about love, but also about coming to terms with one's disability. The musical component is very good, and the main melody resonated with me for a long time. Vittorio Gassman did a great job in his difficult role; his cynical and bitter officer Fausto is brilliantly played, and the actor rightfully received a whole series of festival awards for it. What I appreciate about the film is its realistically conceived environment and the fact that the director was not afraid to incorporate many dark elements into his film. Overall impression: 90%. (27/05/2009)