After about two thirds of the movie, Burt Lancaster declares to have captured the most terrible tenants imaginable. How right he is. The behavior of countess Brumonti and her companions is without doubt impertinent and I found it hard throughout the movie to show any sympathy for them, maybe except for the daughter, who can partly be excused for still being a teenager and one with a certain charm on top of it.
Nonetheless, the retired apartment owner, who lives a solitary life in an elegant palazzo in Rome just underneath the let apartment, feels in a way attracted to the countess' young German lover Konrad Huebel, who is also interested in art but in a rather superficial manner. Maybe he sees in him a character to be rescued or even the son, he has never had, but I found it hard to share such feelings to someone, who can be only described as selfish, manipulative and boorish.
Anyhow, this does not mean that the movie does not have its strong sides. The basic conflict between the unsociability of the old professor and the continuous excitement of the much younger tenants comes across quite realistically. Likewise, the fact, that the professor after a while feels grateful for someone breaking into his self-imposed isolation, is in a way comprehensible even though he is confronted with a for him disconcerting lifestyle that is also open to promiscuity.
There is also interesting discussions about society, especially about the bourgeoisie defending its privileges against a self-assured working class. The countess Brumonti maybe sums it up best with the ironic and rhetorical question: 'A left wing entrepreneur, does this really exist?'. It is quite evident, that the activity of the Red Brigades in the Italy of the 1970s had a certain influence on Mr. Visconti when directing this movie.
Last not least I would like to mention the good acting performances. Especially the portrayal of an arrogant and selfish young man by Helmut Berger excels, although I am not sure, whether this was really far off from Mr. Berger's true personality ...
