I Knew Her Well (1965)

The Criterion release has been prepared with the loving care we've become accustomed to from this company; if only the film had been more deserving of this fine treatment. It's sub-Fellini: you wait for a scene to develop with a certain verve, excitement--and you're so often let down by the plodding approach of Pietrangeli. This man was no master, take my word for it. The scene between Baggini, Roberto and Cianfanna, meant to be so humiliating for Baggini, comes off, but barely. There's a limpness and a rushed quality in the handling that is surprising in a veteran film maker.

I do enjoy Sandrelli in everything she does but I reserve my praise for her work in The Conformist, where she worked for a master, Bertolucci. As Baggini, Ugo Tognazzi is his usual superb self.