The Widow (1955 film)
4 /10 1 Votes
Genre Romance Duration Language Italian | Director Lewis Milestone Music director Mario Nascimbene Country Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date August 1, 1955 (1955-08-01) Based on La Vedova
by Susan York Writer Giuseppe Mangione (screenplay), Lewis Milestone (story), Corrado Sofia (screenplay), Louis Stevens (screenplay), Louis Stevens (story), Susan York (novel) Screenplay Corrado Sofia, Louis Stevens, Giuseppe Mangione Cast Anna Maria Ferrero (Adriana), Akim Tamiroff (The Uncle), Massimo Serato (Vittorio), Patricia Roc (Diana), Leonardo Botta (Bonelli)Similar movies Anna Maria Ferrero appears in The Widow and I Vinti | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Widow (U.S. title) is a 1955 Italian black-and-white romantic drama film directed by Lewis Milestone and written by Milestone and Louis Stevens, based upon the novel La Vedova by Susan York. Produced and originally released under the title La Vedova X, the film had theatrical release in Italy in 1955, limited release in the United States in 1957, and was released in France on June 4, 1959 under the title La Veuve. This was the last Milestone film involving his own writing.
Contents
Background
Lewis Milestone was affected by blacklisting during the 1950s and found it difficult to find work. He and his wife went to Paris to wait out the "red scare". While working abroad, Lewis Milestone and Diana Vedova directed La Vedova X as a joint British-Italian production. This film followed upon his work in England on Melba in 1953 and They Who Dare in 1954. This marked the last Milestone film involving his own writing. When he returned to the United States, he had to "scrape by" directing episodes for television series such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Schlitz Playhouse, Suspicion, and Have Gun - Will Travel, before directing Pork Chop Hill in 1959.
Plot
Countess Diana Gaston (Patricia Roc) meets Vittorio Serra (Massimo Serato), the grandson of Carlo Serra, a prominent businessman. Convinced that she has met the man for her, she does all she can to keep him in her life. Unfortunately both of them are self-centered and this leads to repeated conflict. Vittorio's passion for auto racing leads to continued disagreements between him and the countess.
Though remaining civil, the two separate over their disagreements even though both believe that they cannot live without the other. When Vittorio attends a party thrown by the countess, he meets Adriana (Anna-Maria Ferrero), who immediately falls in love with him. His indecision over Adriana's attentions causes her to try to make him jealous, but he does not fall for the ploy. Vittorio then leaves on a trip to Sicily, he learns that Diana and Adriana have been corresponding and the jealosy does arise. Even though he loves the countess more, Vittorio asks Adriana to marry him. She refuses. When Diana learns of his proposal, she throws a tantrum and breaks objects precious to Vittirio, objects which she knows he superstitiously depends upon for luck.
Vittrio then learns that out of spite, Adriana has married Bonelli (Leonardo Botta), his friend and fellow auto racer. About to compete against Bonneli in a race, and distraught at the news of the marriage, Vittorio removes his lucky bracelet. Diana has a premonition of bad fortune just before she learns the news that Vittorio has died in a racing crash.
Cast
Reception
Cinematografo wrote that the plot was unoriginal and uninteresting, and that Lewis Milestone's connection with the film was not enough to overcome its many flaws.
References
The Widow (1955 film) WikipediaThe Widow (1955 film) IMDb