SENSO

Italy, 1954, 116 minutes, Colour.
Alida Valli, Farley Granger, Massimo Girotti, Heinz Moog, Rina Morelli, Christian Marquand.
Directed by Lucchino Visconti.

Senso is a lavish work by Luchino Visconti. Visconti had begun making films during World War Two with Ossessione (a version of James M. Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice). In 1948 he made La Terra Trema but it was only in the early 50s with Bellissima that he began to achieve success on a grand scale. Senso was made in 1954 and White Nights in 1957. However, the 60s were to be his decade, beginning with Rocco and His Brothers in 1960 and his masterpiece The Leopard in 1963. He made a version of Camus’ The Stranger in 1967 and then moved to The Damned in 1969 and Death in Venice in 1971.

This is a film about the Austro Hungarian empire’s occupation of Venice. The film is beautifully shot and designed. Alida Valli is a local countess who falls in love with an Austrian officer, played by Farley Granger. (It was said that Visconti had hoped to have Ingrid Bergman and Marlon Brando in these roles.) There is a strong supporting cast of Italian character actors.

While the countess is antagonistic towards the officer, she begins to fall in love with him and becomes his mistress. This leads to betrayal of her country.

The film illustrates Visconti’s interest in Italian history which he was to continue – and the beginnings of a different kind of film-making from the neo-realism so popular in Visconti’s earliest films as well as works of Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio de Sica after World War Two.

1. Interest in the film as the work of Visconti? His work in the '50s? His place in the Italian industry? Its place within Visconti's canon? Its not being immediately popular? The critical reception? The cuts and the dubbing of dialogue? Later decades and the restoration of the film for audiences and for critical comment?

2. Visconti’s interest in opera and staging of opera and his operatic treatment of his theme? The colour photography? The atmosphere of 19th century Venice? The atmosphere of the army - the focus on the colour of the army, uniforms, style? The dramatising of the siege? The transition to Verona? The social atmosphere and upheaval - the operatic staging of war? Romance, passion, infidelity and betrayal in this context? The importance and impact of the colour?

3. Visconti's knowledge and appreciation of music and its use in the film? The opera settings, the backgrounds, the orchestrated music and the use of Bruckner's Symphony? Music in love and war?

4. The opening in the opera house: the setting of the stage, inviting the audience to a response to opera? The parallelling of his characters and their heightened dramatic plight with opera? How well does this work on screen? Italian style?

5. Visconti's observations of Italy in the 19th century? The Italian states, the move towards unity? The united and divided Italy? The nature of patriotism? The hostility towards Austria? Betrayal, treaties? The impact of defeats? The background of espionage and loyalty? Visconti's attitude towards the history of Italy, the social upheavals and revolution, the need for change?

6. The title and the emphasis on experience and passion? The indication of themes? As related to Countess Livia, to Lieutenant Mahler?

7. The dramatic situation of war and its insight into the dramatic war of the romantic lovers? Expectations of loyalty and patriotism - and their comment on loyalty and fidelity in love?

8. The portrait of soldiers and soldiering? The taken for granted attitudes? The occupation of Venice? The Venetians rebelling against the occupying Austrians? The dominance of the Austrians? The expectations? The transfer to Verona? The portrait of 19th century militarism?

9. The focus on Livia? The presence of Alida Val! in the role? The values that she stood for, her loyalties, Venice, her place in society as aristocracy, as a woman? Her marriage? The attraction towards Lieutenant Mahler, the growing infatuation, falling in love? The psychological change? The threats to her loyalty? The sensuality of her love and passion? Her giving up everything for Mahler? The betrayal and the taking of the money? The repercussions and the discovery of the truth about him? Her being abandoned - tragedy in love?

10. Farley Granger's presence as Franz? An ordinary man, an ordinary soldier, a cavalier and attractive young man? His place amongst many? His lies, way of life? The encounter with Livia? The infatuation? His falling in love? His response to her passion and possessiveness? The move to Verona? His sense of freedom? His collapse? The money, the drinking? The greater disillusionment? His inability to match Livia's passion?

11. Marquis Orsoni and his arrest., the demonstration at the theatre? The money? The irony of the sequence concerning loyalty? The Italian aristocracy and patriotism?

12. The melodramatic build-up to Livia’s torment, decisions and dilemmas? Her preparation for the journey., the suffering of the journey? Lost in Verona? The battles?

13. The build-up to the confrontation between the two? Franz and his betrayal and squalor? His cowardice? His relying on her wealth? His previous denunciation of Orsoni?

14. Livia's compulsive letter and her passionate hatred in denouncing Franz?

15. Death and witness? Franz’s execution? Livia running through the streets, her distraction, calling out the name of her lover?

16. Themes of human passion, betrayal, honesty, hatred and revenge?

17. The portrait of Italian society and its relationship to the personal themes? The decadence of the respective worlds of Livia and Franz and the basis for the revolution for a different 20th century world and Italian society?