A PLACE FOR LOVERS
Italy, 1968, 88 minutes, Colour.
Faye Dunaway, Marcello Mastroianni.
Directed by Vittorio de Sica.
A Place for Lovers must be the film of Vittorio De Sica which has received the worst reviews. It is glossy technicolour material of the soap opera kind concerning a fashion model and her illness and romance. Faye Dunaway certainly looks the part in this kind of film. Marcello Mastroianni is very much at ease in the role. However the effect of their teeming and of the plot and the romantic treatment did not give it enough vitality to make an impact. It is very much conventional romantic melodrama.
1. The quality of this film? Extreme hostile critical reaction? Vittorio de Sica and his reputation in Italy? Faye Dunaway and Marcello Mastroianni?
2. The content of the film and its style and themes before 'Love Story'? A 'women's film'? Soap opera style and issues? treatment?
3. The importance of style: colour, Italian locations, Ella Fitzgerald's title song, fashions, wealth, holiday resorts, the idle rich able to enjoy themselves, romance? How well presented? Conventionally, with insight?
4. Themes of death, life, happiness, love? A final clutching at life?
5. The impact of Faye Dunaway as Julia? The puzzle of her arrival in Italy? The accident of her watching television and seeing Valerio? The significance and tone of the flashbacks? Her impulsive behaviour seeking him out? The particular fascination that he held for her, his gaze at her earlier, introduction, the mystery? Her deciding on a weekend and his acceptance? The puzzle about its meaning? Sexuality, romance, love? Her conditions?
6. The character of Valerio as a suave Italian male? His marital background? His work, scientific experiments and the presentation of them? His acceptance of the conditions about the weekend? The repercussions for him?
7. Themes of happiness - particular sequences at the holiday resort, meals, the hotel, the scenery? How well did they get to know one another? Did they fall in love? The impact on Julia in the light of her last few weeks of life?
8. The presentation of Chriselde, and the humour, the acceptance of the clothes? An ordinary background for this rather extraordinary love story? The importance of Julia's friend arriving trying to persuade her to leave and go back to the hospital? The various departures of the plane and Julia's decision against them? The accident of the telephone call and her informing Valerio of the truth?
10. The repercussions on Valerio and the way that he watched Julia after he knew the truth? Her awareness of this? The change of attitude in their affair, regard for one another, love? Julia's attitude towards death, her explaining attitudes towards Valerio?
11. Such sequences an the party and its permissiveness and the sexual games? Julia's participation in them, Valerio's disgust? What did it tell each about the other?
12. The sequences in the mountains? The revelation of the truth about each other?
13. The growing impact of death? Death and love? The transitory nature of life and relationships? How well and convincingly explored?
