SUNFLOWER

Italy/Russia, 1970, 107 minutes, Colour.
Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Ludmila Savelyeva.
Directed by Vittorio de Sica.

Sunflower - "in a world gone mad, a love story". Thus the advertising of the film. Critics and fans found this further step in the famous De. Sica-Loren-Mastroianni? combination ("Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow", "Marriage - Italian Style". etc.) very tame indeed. Sophia in tears, Marcello repentant and lovely photography in Russia, what one might have called in days gone by 'a woman's picture'.

1. The nature of war marriages, whether they are built on romances or reality, how lasting they can possibly be after almost-strangers are separated?

2. The nature of true love. what it really demands. especially if it is to be lasting?

3. The credibility of Antonio's behaviour in Russia, his willingness never to return to his wife and settle in Russia?

4. Whom did the film ask sympathy for - Antonio, his wife or his Russian wife?

5. The motive force of his wife's search for him?

6. Whether Sunflower was a satisfactory human film about real people and situations or whether it was merely a "Women's Weekly" romantic melodrama?