Al Pacino made famous the American remake, and the original Italian film has the same basic outline. A blind army captain is assigned a young assistant as a guide. Vittorio Gassman is the captain in the first version, which is much less flamboyant than the Pacino portrayal.
The captain is traveling from Turin to Naples to meet an army buddy who was injured in the same accident. The aide doesn't realize that the captain is planning a suicide with his friend. He asks his companion to describe the women they meet on their trip but the captain claims that he can see what a woman looks like by her scent. He is ashamed of his handicap and carries a picture of Sara, the girl he is in love with. The journey is an eventful one and Gassman is excellent as the captain. Pacino brings a more over the top attitude to the part, but both are good.
The captain is traveling from Turin to Naples to meet an army buddy who was injured in the same accident. The aide doesn't realize that the captain is planning a suicide with his friend. He asks his companion to describe the women they meet on their trip but the captain claims that he can see what a woman looks like by her scent. He is ashamed of his handicap and carries a picture of Sara, the girl he is in love with. The journey is an eventful one and Gassman is excellent as the captain. Pacino brings a more over the top attitude to the part, but both are good.