L'innocente (1976)

Tullio Hermil is a chauvinist aristocrat who flaunts his mistress to his wife, but when he believes she has been unfaithful he becomes enamored of her again.

Director:

Luchino Visconti

Writers:

Gabriele D'Annunzio (novel), Suso Cecchi D'Amico (screenplay)

Stars:

Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Antonelli, Jennifer O'Neill

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Tullio Hermil
Laura Antonelli	...	Giuliana Hermil
Jennifer O'Neill	...	Teresa Raffo
Rina Morelli	...	Tullio's Mother
Massimo Girotti	...	Count Stefano Egano
Didier Haudepin	...	Federico Hermil
Marie Dubois	...	The Princess
Roberta Paladini	...	Miss Elviretta
Claude Mann	...	The Prince
Marc Porel	...	Filippo d'Arborio
Philippe Hersent
Elvira Cortese
Siria Betti
Enzo Musumeci Greco	...	Maestro d'armi
Alessandra Vazzoler

Storyline

Luchino Visconti's last film based on a novella by Gabrielle d'Annunzio is a haunting account of aristocratic chauvinism and sexual double standards in turn of the century Italy. Giannini as the psichotic husband whose lust cannot be satisfied. Antonelli as his sensitive and tormented wife and O'Neil as cunning possesive mistress.

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Plot Keywords:

cleavage | scantily clad female | topless female nudity | bare breasts | nude | 

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Taglines:

Visconti's Sensual Epic of a Diabolical Marriage

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

11 January 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Innocent

Filming Locations:

La Badiola, Capannori, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Box Office

Gross USA:

$9,500,000, 31 December 1979

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rizzoli Film, Les Films Jacques Leitienne, Imp.Ex.Ci.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Cosmovision)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Visconti had briefly considered casting Ryan O'Neal in the Giancarlo Giannini role.

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Quotes

Teresa Raffo: I don't share a man with another woman - even if she's his wife.

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Connections

Featured in La femme de l'amant (1992)

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Soundtracks

Giochi d'acqua a Villa d'Este
Music by Franz Liszt (as Liszt)
Performed by Franco Mannino, pianoforte

User Reviews

One of the most refined films I had ever watched.

Could we qualify a movie as Ardent? I think so, at least I do when remembering this film. Maybe it's because of the smoldering story it tells, maybe because of the passionate characters temperament, maybe because of the gleaming beauty of the surroundings, the extremely luxurious interiors of upper class old noblesse, with their incredibly gorgeous 'Fin de Siecle' gowns and jewels and objects and music... What a superb film!

Jennifer O'Neil devastatingly beautiful and seductive as the self-assured, selfish, spoiled, ambitious, self-seeking lover, as much as Laura Antonelli as the opposite side of the coin but in a lower key, as the humble and insecure, betrayed, embittered, resentful wife, but also devastatingly gorgeous. And Giancarlo Giannini, holder of the most beautiful male green eyes ever shown on a close up, and adding to that his fantastically sensuous voice.

We end up watching this ultra-refined European product that only a Visconti and very few other directors (Kubrick with "Barry Lindon") could have had the exquisiteness of taste to produce.

The libretto is first rate and overwhelming in its slow development (and that makes almost unbearable the unpredictable climax) leaving us almost as devastated as its female protagonist, when she walks away while an early dawn starts defining the outline of the magnificent garden surrounding that incredibly perfect building where life had just ceased to exist.