The Unknown Woman (2006) La sconosciuta (original title)

Director:

Giuseppe Tornatore

Writers:

Giuseppe Tornatore (screenplay) and
Massimo De Rita (script collaborator)

Release Date:

20 October 2006 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

An Ukrainian woman named Irena calculatedly insinuates herself into the lives of a young, affluent Italian family...

Plot Keywords:

Nanny | Daughter | Maid | Mask | Female Nudity

Awards:

13 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Kseniya Rappoport	...	Irena (as Xenia Rappoport)
Pierfrancesco Favino	...	Donato Adacher
Alessandro Haber	...	Porter
Claudia Gerini	...	Valeria Adacher
Michele Placido	...	Muffa
Piera Degli Esposti	...	Gina
Margherita Buy	...	Irena's lawyer
Ángela Molina	...	Lucrezia (as Angela Molina)
Clara Dossena	...	Tea Adacher
Nicola Di Pinto	...	Irena's lover
Paolo Elmo	...	Nello
Simona Nobili	...	Policewoman
Elisa Morucci	...	Waitress
Giulia Di Quilio	...	Secretary
Pino Calabrese	...	Magistrate

Also Known As:

"La sconosciuta" - Italy (original title)
"The Other Woman" - USA

MPAA:

Rated R for some disturbing violent content involving rape and torture, graphic nudity, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Sweden:15 | Norway:15 | Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Japan:R-15 | Germany:16 | Argentina:18 | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Australia:R | Netherlands:16 | Italy:T | New Zealand:R18 | USA:R | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | Peru:18

Filming Locations:

Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Company:

Medusa Film

Trivia:

Italy's Official Submission to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of 'The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)'.

Movie Connections:

References Oliver Twist (2005)

Soundtrack:

Donna non vidi mai

Tornatore did it again

After a long time, a new Tornatore film. After the second viewing I decided to write a comment about it.

When people talk about a film by Giuseppe Tornatore, they think of Sicily first with it's burning sun and it's orange villages. This is one of his darker films, if not his darkest (on par with Il Camorrista).

As sound as the first fade in of this film appeared, I was hooked. I will not spoil anything, but you'll see some pretty powerful stuff. The story is complicated and important, so giving examples might spoil something, so I focus on the experience of this film itself.

I have never seen most of the actors in this (except Placido), but they all did an amazing job. Kseniya Rappoport is so great in this film that it's just haunting. Her performance is a winner without doubt, but the supportive cast never seems shy to make their emotions as real as they can.

The shots that this film uses are great. All Tornatore films are beautiful, but this one is a real dark gem. As him and few other can do, he makes the world real.

The script is strong. I cannot just define it as a drama, because that is a vague term. It's also a disturbing film with a warm touch (a heartbreaking plot that twists in a good way).

Ennio Morricone wrote the score. I am a great fan of him and I must say that even now, being 77, he is still the top composer in the entire industry. With his score for La Sconosciuta he surprised me. Again. This man is so amazing that I curse the Academy awards every day for ignoring him for more than 40 years.

So is there nothing bad about La Sconosciuta? Yes there is; the DVD is only available in Italy. I bought one with English subtitles so I have little problem watching it, but this can be quite a damper on it's international fame. I hope this one gets a great international release, both in cinema and on DVD. Great pieces of art should not be kept indoors.

I give it 10 out of 10. The best of 2006 and perfect in every way.