"The Smell of a Woman" - a 1974 film, the actors who played the main roles in the film are Vittorio Gassman and Agostina Belli. The film was a huge success in Italy, where it was created by director Dino Risi, and in France, where more than two million people watched it.
A few words about the director
Dino Risi was nominated for an Oscar three times in his life. He is considered one of the geniuses of Italian cinema, especially with regard to comedy paintings.
His creations are “The Smell of a Woman”, “Operation“ Saint Januarius “. He is the owner of such awards as the Golden Lion of the Venice Film Festival, the Cesar Prize, the Silver Prize of the Moscow International Film Festival. In 1990, the director was invited to the United States to write the script for the film of the same name directed by Martin Brest, “The Smell of a Woman.” The film was released in 1992 and gained worldwide popularity. Al Pacino played the main role. This picture is not an exact copy of the 1974 film, “The Smell of a Woman,” created by Dino Risi, is subtle. work soaked naya atmosphere of three beautiful cities of Italy.
Cast
In the film "The Smell of a Woman", the actors and roles for them were carefully selected. The main roles in the film were given to Agostin Belli, Vittorio Gassman and Alessandro Momo.
Other actors in the film “The Smell of a Woman” are Moira Orpheus, Franco Ricci, Elena Voronese, Carla Mancini and others. All three actors for the main roles were not new to the movie, they got along well on the set.
Alessandro Momo
One of the main roles of the private, accompanying captain Fausto on the trip, was given to this young actor. Alessandro Momo, the actor ("The Smell of a Woman", "Cunning") was very young, in his career it was the sixth professional work, but a few weeks before the premiere of the film he was gone. He crashed in an accident, and did not taste the glory and popularity. Such a short life and only one very noticeable role, the role of a cute young guy who still knows little about women.
The film was shot in Naples, Rome and Genoa, the director paid a lot of attention to the scenery, Italian streets to convey the passion and unique spirit of such a different and unique Italy.
Agostina Belly
Agostina Belli is a popular actress in Italy. She began her career in 1968. The "Smell of a Woman" directed by Dino Risi made her famous outside of Italy. She is unusually beautiful, so it was she who was chosen by Reese. Her role as the beautiful Sarah was awarded the Golden Bowl Prize. She played a sensitive thin girl in love with an adult man.
In general, work with Dino Risi became the most successful in her career. After this film, there was still work in the film "White Phones". The performer of the main role of the film is worthy of attention.
Vittorio Gassman
A native of the sunny Genoa, Vittorio Gassman is a talented actor. “The Smell of a Woman” is one of his brilliant works, awarded with prizes of world significance.
Vittorio Gassman made a brilliant movie career, starring in 148 films. In addition, he shone on the stage of Italian theaters, in his adult years he began writing books. For Vittorio, the film "The Smell of a Woman" fell at the peak of popularity. Behind there were more than forty films, one of which was a film adaptation of Tolstoy’s War and Peace directed by King Widor. Vittorio played in the film by Anatoly Kuragin. This film adaptation may be familiar to the Russian audience by the role of Natasha Rostova performed by Audrey Hepburn.
Gassman’s collaboration with Reese began long before filming The Woman's Smell. These relations of the actor and director resulted in a strong friendship and the creation of fifteen joint film works. The comedy "Monsters" is famous for the fact that Vittorio played in it at once twelve roles, including one female. Vittorio Gassman is a diverse actor. "The Smell of a Woman" has become in his career one of the iconic films. For this role in 1975, he received the silver prize of the Cannes International Film Festival. Immediately after this film, he took up work in Tartari Desert. This picture was popular among Soviet viewers.
Plot
The film is about a retired captain named Fausto. He was blinded in both eyes due to the misfortune that happened in his studies seven years ago, but even a boy can envy him for his life. He travels to Genoa, Rome and Naples by train on a short seven-day trip with a young soldier named Giovanni assigned to him. Initially, the relationship of the two fellow travelers did not go well: the captain looks at life differently, he seems to the guy crazy, picky. Captain Fausto smells women by smell; he forces Giovanni to describe in detail the ladies he meets on their way.
In Genoa, they put on new expensive costumes, settle in an expensive hotel and examine women, mainly prostitutes. After they go to Rome. There Fausto will meet with his brother priest. Fausto suddenly asks for his blessings. In Rome, Giovanni introduces the captain to his girlfriend Diana, in which Fausto easily guesses an easily accessible lady. Finally, having arrived in Naples, they settle in the house of Sarah's mother, in which lives a retired lieutenant named Vincenzo, an acquaintance of Fausto, who was also blinded in both eyes.
From the balcony, where all meetings and parties take place, a fantastic view of the port of Naples. Here, Sarah tries several times to speak frankly with the captain, but he rejects her, sometimes cruelly. The beauty is sincerely in love with him for a long time and opens up to young Giovanni in her feelings. Fausto and Vincenzo are up to something not so good. And then one day in the apartment in the evening after the party shots are heard. To save Fausto, Sarah takes him out of the city with Giovanni to the village, takes care of him in an abandoned house. In the end, he lets Giovanni back into the unit and tells him to drive Sarah away. He does not want to be her burden, but Sarah thinks otherwise.
The script, on which Dino Risi, Ruggiero Maccari, Giovanni Arpino worked on, is based on the novel "Darkness and Honey." It was written by one of the scriptwriters - Giovanni Arpino. It is based not only on the relationship of man and woman. The very atmosphere of Italy adorns the film "The Smell of a Woman." Photos from the set indicate that the director sought a special approach to shooting.
Location
The film features three large and quite different cities - Genoa, Rome and Naples. Genoa appears before the viewer as a port city with a large number of prostitutes on the streets. The main scenes were filmed here against the backdrop of the marina. Later, when filming in Naples, Dino Risi will again show the marina, but another spirit, the spirit of the thirst for freedom, will blow from it.
In Rome, it is no coincidence that much attention is paid to nuns; Fausto’s conversation with his brother priest takes place on the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Basilica. It speaks best of all about the city.
Naples is completely different. He is shown noisy, full of talkative and quick-tempered inhabitants. The funeral scene is the embodiment of the atmosphere of the city. Quotes from the movie "The Smell of a Woman" are known to many Italians.
Catch phrases from the movie
Almost all the phrases from the film “The Smell of a Woman” that became winged were uttered by Vittorio Gassman, this very actor. "The Smell of a Woman" is a film full of quotes from his character, Captain Fausto.
"Do you think I'm tormented by the fact that I can’t admire the sunset or the dome of St. Peter? That between the legs is the true faith."
"We are burying a deputy here, and you blocked the road!"
"A porter and a poet must be born."
"And who said that the sun is good? Good, Chicho, when it rains. From the rain rustling - music! I see with my ears."
"You have achieved everything, Fausto, so I envy you. You will say that I blaspheme, and it’s true. You are lucky because your torment is with you every minute. They cleanse you, set you free, serve as redemption. You have been saved, and I envy you." .
"It seems to me that your cross gives meaning to your existence, and this is your salvation."
"So, in your opinion, blindness is happiness? Blind people do not see the world as it really is, but as they imagine it."
"Why be afraid? The worst thing has happened to you."
"Can you walk, Sarah? It's not so easy to be a guide for the blind."