What can I say? This is a wonderful, gentle film, the kind, sadly, Hollywood no longer makes. I saw it first twenty years ago, and it haunted me ever since; I try to watch it once every couple of years. Fontaine and Cotten are in top form here, as are all the supporting actors (especially Tandy). The plot is absolute escapist romantic fare, which I'll leave others to describe. While on the surface the main catch may seem far-fetched, it's handled with surprising credibility; one cannot help but feel caught up in the lovers' dilemma. Given their once-in-a-million opportunity, would any of us have done anything different? Can we judge them?
But, despite the outstanding acting and story, the real stars here are the music and the Italian settings. The haunting song "September Affair," played in the film, was recorded shortly before Walter Huston's death and released posthumously; the poignancy of this fact, and the skillful usage in the film, made both a huge sensation. The captivating black-and-white Italian scenery, especially in Rome and Capri (check out the awesome sequence in the cave at Capri) is worth watching just by itself - much of the same would be captured later in Technicolor (but not as effectively) in the film Rome Adventure. An unforgettable viewing experience; if you love escapism and romance, don't miss this one.
But, despite the outstanding acting and story, the real stars here are the music and the Italian settings. The haunting song "September Affair," played in the film, was recorded shortly before Walter Huston's death and released posthumously; the poignancy of this fact, and the skillful usage in the film, made both a huge sensation. The captivating black-and-white Italian scenery, especially in Rome and Capri (check out the awesome sequence in the cave at Capri) is worth watching just by itself - much of the same would be captured later in Technicolor (but not as effectively) in the film Rome Adventure. An unforgettable viewing experience; if you love escapism and romance, don't miss this one.