Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Nanni Moretti | ... | Michele Apicella | |
Laura Morante | ... | Bianca | |
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Roberto Vezzosi | ... | Il commissario / Police inspector |
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Remo Remotti | ... | Siro Siri |
Claudio Bigagli | ... | Ignazio | |
Enrica Maria Modugno | ... | Aurora | |
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Vincenzo Salemme | ... | Massimiliano |
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Margherita Sestito | ... | Maria |
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Dario Cantarelli | ... | Il preside / School dean |
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Virginie Alexandre | ... | Martina |
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Matteo Fago | ... | Matteo |
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Giovanni Buttafava | ... | Il professore contestato / Contested teacher |
Alberto Cracco | ... | Il patrigno di Martina / Martina's Stepfather | |
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Giovannella De Luca | ... | Dirimpettaia / Neighbor mother |
Nicola Di Pinto | ... | Poliziotto / Policeman |
Michele is a mathematics professor who just started a new job in a school with some peculiar teaching methods. After a woman in his neighborhood is murdered, Michele meets beautiful colleague Bianca, and a relationship begins between the two. Where is this relationship heading, and will Michele be able to help the police catch the murderer? Written by hoshiyomi
I watched this movie back in 1983 on a film festival in Moscow - probably before the official release and after 25+ years I still remember the stunning effect it produced on me and my wife. Besides the wild interpretation of the ending and what was going throughout the movie, you cannot escape very effective visual way of playing on contrasts of everything: names - Bianca (Italian for white) with the char-black hair, clothing and furniture - all either ivory white or pitch black, and even that famous giant glass flute - full of very dark (almost black) chocolate - appears in the pristine white surrounding.
The moral stance on the murders going on on the eventual background leaves no doubt of only choice between darkness and light, good or evil, and with dialogs - from what I vaguely remember - mostly non-existent - just cops questioning and radio or TV hosts talking.
After watching this film, my wife and could not stop talking about all those symbols and each of them meant and who did what to whom. At that time there was no internet, IMDb and I never met anybody else (and my life stretches across 3 continents and very many movie-loving friends) who ever seen this movie so we could discuss the details.
I would gladly see it again. Looking back - I think it was way ahead of its time in its visual expressiveness and spooky plot but as Dennis Miller use to say: "this of course is just my opinion and I can be wrong."