Although not perhaps regarded as 'major' Risi this is a very pleasing and entertaining film with an excellent cast. Sophia Loren had just scored a hit in 'L'Oro di Napoli' under Vittorio de Sica's direction and by all accounts he is still the 'guiding hand' here. De Sica himself is as always immaculate whilst Sordi and Vallone never disappoint. It is the performance of Franca Valeri in probably her greatest role as the forlorn, luckless-in-love Cesira that steals the show. Valeri also had a hand in the script as the film was originally intended to be directed by Comencini and built around the character of the same name that she had created on radio and television. Comencini pulled out and the Risi-de Sica-Loren triumvirate moved in. Valeri still manages to come out best however. She was to excel in 'Il Vedovo' three years later for the same director.
The most striking and unusual credit is that of the Production Designer: a certain Carl Theodor Dreyer!
10 Reviews
Review - Il segno di Venere
Maxence_G3 April 2021
Here, in the leading role, we meet Cesira, played by Franca Valeri. She is a free thinker. For her time, we can even consider her as a rebel. But, she is jealous, she doesn't achieve happiness, she doesn't find love.
At her opposite, there is her cousin, Agnese Tirabassi, played by Sophia Loren. Unlike Cesira, Agnese gets all the attention from men.
Despite its conservative vision of women-men relationships, the film shines through the compelling, amusing characters that bring a unique spirit to this movie filmed in Rome. It contrasts with Dino Risi's other 1955 film, Pane, amore e..... (1955), in the sense, that it is isn't a movie about charm, but rather on the absence of it and on jealousy.
Nevertheless, the directing of Dino Risi attenuates the film's dramatic themes. For that reason, I think that if you are a fan of Italian comedies, you should go for it.
At her opposite, there is her cousin, Agnese Tirabassi, played by Sophia Loren. Unlike Cesira, Agnese gets all the attention from men.
Despite its conservative vision of women-men relationships, the film shines through the compelling, amusing characters that bring a unique spirit to this movie filmed in Rome. It contrasts with Dino Risi's other 1955 film, Pane, amore e..... (1955), in the sense, that it is isn't a movie about charm, but rather on the absence of it and on jealousy.
Nevertheless, the directing of Dino Risi attenuates the film's dramatic themes. For that reason, I think that if you are a fan of Italian comedies, you should go for it.
Engaging
lisalgreer28 November 2020
The Loneliness Of A Good Heart
boblipton14 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Franca Valeri is a good, hardworking girl, staying with her aunt and uncle in Roma. She holds down a job as a public stenographer in a hotel. Her cousin, Sophia Loren, is forbidden to work by her old-fashioned father. All the men want Signorina Loren, and Signorina Valeri feels the emptiness in her life.
Dino Risi's movie is a swirling mass of confusion. At first, you think the movie will be about the two women, but soon enough, the men enter the story, and their own stories bid fair to take it over: Raf Vallone, the aspiring boxer, who seems to like Signorina Valeri, but pays attention to La Loren; Maurizio Arena, the studio photographer; Alberto Sordi, the shady character trying to sell Arena a car he clearly doesn't own; and Vittorio de Sica, a poet with a line who leeches off of everyone. They come together, they disperse, and in the end, it is Signorina Valeri, who starts off the movie as seemingly the comic center of it, who winds up alone and drifting.
Of course, I looked at it because of de Sica and Signorina Loren. It turns soon into an ensemble piece, and by the end, it is Signorina Valeri who carries the film.
Dino Risi's movie is a swirling mass of confusion. At first, you think the movie will be about the two women, but soon enough, the men enter the story, and their own stories bid fair to take it over: Raf Vallone, the aspiring boxer, who seems to like Signorina Valeri, but pays attention to La Loren; Maurizio Arena, the studio photographer; Alberto Sordi, the shady character trying to sell Arena a car he clearly doesn't own; and Vittorio de Sica, a poet with a line who leeches off of everyone. They come together, they disperse, and in the end, it is Signorina Valeri, who starts off the movie as seemingly the comic center of it, who winds up alone and drifting.
Of course, I looked at it because of de Sica and Signorina Loren. It turns soon into an ensemble piece, and by the end, it is Signorina Valeri who carries the film.
If you could read my mind, you wouldn't need subtitles.
mark.waltz6 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This is a very funny Italian comedy that makes light how patronizing way women were treated back in the day, making it clear that it's laughing at the misogyny of these characters with the absurdities of such behavior. In that sense, it's very much ahead of a it's time as it shows two completely different women, cousins played by Sophia Loren and Franca Valeri, with Loren victimized because she's a romantic at heart, continuously exploited by men, while feminist Valeri is a completely no nonsense woman who's still attractive to get the kind that men never noticed because of the fierce nature of her demeanor.
I could have watched this movie without even reading any of the subtitles and know exactly what was going on, laughing all the way at my sex, recognizing the best and worst qualities of a variety of men, particularly Loren and Valeri's employers and the handsome men played by Raf Vallone and Vittorio De Sica. Loren becomes tougher as a result of her experiences, and Valeri softens when she's suddenly getting male attention. There's also a very funny imperious landlady who is a bit of a cartoon character, making fun of that archetype as well. An attractive looking piece of fluff, certainly no Fellini type film, and very easy to watch especially for those who don't normally like films with subtitles.
I could have watched this movie without even reading any of the subtitles and know exactly what was going on, laughing all the way at my sex, recognizing the best and worst qualities of a variety of men, particularly Loren and Valeri's employers and the handsome men played by Raf Vallone and Vittorio De Sica. Loren becomes tougher as a result of her experiences, and Valeri softens when she's suddenly getting male attention. There's also a very funny imperious landlady who is a bit of a cartoon character, making fun of that archetype as well. An attractive looking piece of fluff, certainly no Fellini type film, and very easy to watch especially for those who don't normally like films with subtitles.
Nobody's Fool
kosmasp31 December 2020
Sophia Loren is the "Venus" of the title. Well that is how I would interpret the english title. She is not alone though and in the introduction to her character, we also learn about her cousin. Who seems to be the opposite of her. While Lorens character has to fight people off her, who are trying to woo her, her cousin has no one even noticing her.
Which clearly is a shame I would say, because she is also very pretty. Not in the sense Sophia Loren is depicted, but every one of us is different anyway. The cousins problem is not just the lack of opportunity, but her gullible and innocent way of looking at things. She believes in the best in humanity, which makes her quite vulnerable. Lorens character is also vulnerable - in the sense that she is reduced to her looks.
A very insightful character study, with a lot of little bits and pieces that build up to the inevitable conclusion of the movie. Very well acted and well written, even if today some side stories probably would have been cut out (like two male side kicks with their own set of problems and issues almost entirely unrelated to the two main female characters). Some people are fools some aren't ... some are way too good for this world and the people who live in it.
Which clearly is a shame I would say, because she is also very pretty. Not in the sense Sophia Loren is depicted, but every one of us is different anyway. The cousins problem is not just the lack of opportunity, but her gullible and innocent way of looking at things. She believes in the best in humanity, which makes her quite vulnerable. Lorens character is also vulnerable - in the sense that she is reduced to her looks.
A very insightful character study, with a lot of little bits and pieces that build up to the inevitable conclusion of the movie. Very well acted and well written, even if today some side stories probably would have been cut out (like two male side kicks with their own set of problems and issues almost entirely unrelated to the two main female characters). Some people are fools some aren't ... some are way too good for this world and the people who live in it.
"I don't understand anything any more."
classicsoncall20 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I hazard to think what audiences would think of this film if released today. Besides the political incorrectness of it all, the characters and situations presented are exaggerated to the point of being ridiculous. But this was 1955, Sophia Loren was a major star, and the picture seems to fit the bill somewhat as a romantic comedy. But boy, there are a number of cringe worthy scenes, and the running bit of Romolo (Alberto Sordi) trying to force the sale of a car he didn't own to photographer Mario (Peppino De Filippo) wore very thin by the mid-point of the picture. Hard to decide who was the biggest creep in the story, but my money goes on the sleazeball Alessio Spano (Vittorio De Sica), using Cesira's (Franca Valeri) donation money to pay for a restaurant dinner that ended chaotically. At it's center, the picture draws a dichotomy between the fashionable beauty of Agnese Tirabassi (Loren) and her plain Jane cousin Cesira, who isn't really bad looking, but doesn't carry off her charms the way Agnese does. In another picture, the guys might have been falling all over her, but with Loren displaying the 'sign of Venus', it was pretty much a no-contest. Even with all that, I was happy to catch this flick in it's current run on Netflix, otherwise I would never have come across it otherwise. I just read an article on Sophia Loren in which she's quoted saying that at eighty six, she feels like she's still twenty. I wonder what she would think of this movie today.
Wonderful comedy
Saoustou881 January 2021
Weak...
RosanaBotafogo17 April 2021
An annoying, boring film, male behavior that is now inadmissible, disgusting, it doesn't attract female disputes over stupid males, nor did the beautiful Sophia Loren make me fall in love with the film, boring, I almost didn't win...
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