(1973)
4
Robert Firsching
Marcello Mastroianni portrays an aristocratic Italian revolutionary in this unusually philosophical costume drama. The 1816 French Restoration makes him question his political commitment, so he attempts to disassociate himself from his clandestine Republican group, but pays for his regressive thinking when he betrays its leader. The Taviani brothers do their best to remain evenhanded, primarily by portraying the revolutionaries as incompetent, but their own political ideals overshadow the plot. The result is a film which fails to engender sympathy for either side of a volatile historical issue. That is unfortumate, because the cast is outstanding, particularly Mastroianni and the underrated Mimsy Farmer, and Ennio Morricone's score is among his most stirring.
Allonsanfan on AllMovie
Allonsanfan (1973)
