Journey to Italy (1954)

An unhappily married couple attempts to find direction and insight while vacationing in Naples.

Director:

Roberto Rossellini

Writers:

Vitaliano Brancati (story and screenplay), Roberto Rossellini (story and screenplay)

Stars:

Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders, Maria Mauban

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ingrid Bergman	...	Katherine Joyce
George Sanders	...	Alexander 'Alex' Joyce (as Georges Sanders)
Maria Mauban	...	Marie (as Marie Mauban)
Anna Proclemer	...	La prostituta
Paul Muller	...	Paul Dupont
Anthony La Penna	...	Tony Burton (as Leslie Daniels)
Natalia Ray	...	Natalie Burton (as Natalia Rai)
Jackie Frost	...	Betty

Storyline

Catherine and Alexander, wealthy and sophisticated, drive to Naples to dispose of a deceased uncle's villa. There's a coolness in their relationship and aspects of Naples add to the strain. She remembers a poet who loved her and died in the war; although she didn't love him, the memory underscores romance's absence from her life now. She tours the museums of Naples and Pompeii, immersing herself in the Neapolitan fascination with the dead and noticing how many women are pregnant; he idles on Capri, flirting with women but drawing back from adultery. With her, he's sarcastic; with him, she's critical. They talk of divorce. Will this foreign couple find insight and direction in Italy?

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Plot Keywords:

married couple | capri | villa | pompeii | museum | 

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Taglines:

A Dramatic and Unusual Love Story!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

20 December 1954 (France)

Also Known As:

Journey to Italy

Filming Locations:

Naples, Campania, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Italia Film,Junior Film,Sveva Film

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included in the Toronto International Film Festival' Essential 100, movies every cinephile should see.

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Goofs

During the religious procession, when the crane lifts the camera and camera pans up to view the crowd, you can see the shadow of the camera on the ground.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Alexander 'Alex' Joyce: Where are we?
Katherine Joyce: Oh, I don't know exactly.

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Connections

Featured in Prevodachkata na cherno-beli filmi (2007)

User Reviews

See Naples and live

Seems long and drawn out until you get to the final moment which is a marvellous thing, then you realise how great a film it was, in hindsight.

Possibly influenced Bunuel - some of the tree lined avenues and the religious saturation of a culture, the slowness of the story, it all reminded me of Bunuel. It's also acknowledged to be an influence on Godard's Contempt and it was interesting to see how it inspired parts of that film - the estranged couple cast against stunning Italian Neapolitan scenery. Must be a great story for it to have been filmed so well twice.