Released by: Raro Video
Released on: December 6, 2011.
Director: Luigi Comencini
Cast: Giuliano Gemma, Stefania Sandrelli, Brizio Montinaro
Year: 1974
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The Movie:
Luigi Comencini's 1974 film Crime Of Love (Delitto D'Amore in Italian for those paying attention) takes place in Milan where it tells the story of some blue collar factory workers. Nullo (Giuliano Gemma) and Carmella (Stefania Sandrelli) meet at the factory where they work and soon fall fast in love with each other. Nullo is a native of Milan and grew up comfortably while Carmella has recently moved there from Sicily where she grew up poor in hopes of finding in Milan a new start and the prosperity that eluded her in her younger days.
As the two fall in love, they soon come to realize their differences. These stem not only from their backgrounds, he of a well off family and she of the peasant class, but also from their very different belief systems. Nullo is an atheist through and through while Carmella is a tried and true Roman Catholic who refuses to live her life any other way than that which she was raised to believe to be right. Yet despite these differences, that attraction is there and their feelings for one another are undeniable - as we watch the film and get to know these two characters, we see whether or not they'll be able to overcome the obstacles that separate them on the socio-political spectrum to actually let themselves be together.
A pensive and thoughtful look at the different class structures that make up the different parts of Italy and not only their differences but also their similarities, Crime Of Love is a well made and well acted drama. Not so surprisingly our two lovers are able to come together (that's not a spoiler), we don't derive much suspense from that as it's telegraphed to us very early on in the film. It's the event that lets them do just that which provides the film's more interesting moment, allowing them to unite for a mutual cause and to therefore put aside their disagreements. We watch their relationship grow, well played by the charismatic and handsome Giuliano Gemma and the immensely likeable and wholesomely pretty Stefania Sandrelli.
Sure, the story very obviously borrows from Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet but by placing it in (what was at the time it was made) a modern context it allows the film to take on more political leanings than it would have had otherwise. As such, it's a layered film that's part traditional romance and part treatise on some of the problems that were plaguing the Italy of the 1970s. Additionally, it's quite well shot by cinematographer Luigi Kuveiller (probably best known for the Warhol Dracula and Frankenstein movies and a few classic giallos than his more traditional films) with a fairly moving score from composer Carlo Rustichelli, a frequent Mario Bava collaborator. Director Comencini keeps the pacing strong and pulls great work out of his two lead actors and while this isn't a film that grabs you by the throat and bombards you with thrill after thrill, for those who appreciate a thoughtful, intelligent and well made drama it proves quite rewarding.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Raro's 1.78.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, newly restored in high definition from the original 35mm negative is great, offering up the film in almost pristine shape with gorgeous color reproduction and nice, accurate looking skin tones. Print damage is never an issue, there are only occasional specks and they're very minor at that, while black levels generally stay strong as well.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono track, in Italian with optional English subtitles, is clean, clear and easy to listen to. The levels are well balanced and there are no issues with hiss or distortion to complain about.
Like Raro's release of Come Have Coffee With Us, this disc also includes an interview and liner notes from film historian Adriana Apra, who provides some welcome context as to the climate in which this film was made in addition to some biographical information on the cast and crew and some critical notes as to the film's merits.
The Final Word:
A smart, involving and well made loves story with a few interesting twists, Crime Of Love gets a great release from Raro who continue to do great work with an interesting catalogue of classic Italian films from all genres.