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Ossessione (1943)

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Average Rating: 8.2/10
Reviews Counted: 9
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 0

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Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 0

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Movie Info

Often considered one of the first examples of Italian neorealism, Luchino Visconti's first film was this adaptation of James M. Cain's steamy novel The Postman Always Rings Twice, which would also be made twice in the U.S., first in 1946 with Lana Turner and John Garfield and then in 1981 with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. Massimo Girotti stars as a drifter named Gino, who gets a job at a provincial inn. The handsome wanderer attempts to resist the advances of Giovanna (Clara Calamai), the

Unrated, 2 hr. 15 min.

Drama, Romance, Art House & International, Classics

Directed By: Luchino Visconti

Written By: Luchino Visconti, Mario Alicata, Alberto Moravia, Gianni Puccini, Giuseppe De Santis

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1943 Wide

On DVD: Jul 16, 2002

Cast

Critic Reviews for Ossessione

All Critics (12) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (0) | DVD (6)

Ossessione, which also began the late Mr. Visconti's remarkable film career, may be slow-going to the uninitiated, but its historical importance is not to be denied.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

Luchino Visconti's first solo effort and the first great Italian neorealist film.

December 10, 2002 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

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Don Druker

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

In something beyond drama and melodrama, diluted American mythos makes for Euro cine refined.

February 13, 2009 Full Review Source: PopMatters

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Matthew Sorrento

PopMatters

Immerses the story in the reality of life in an Italian village, using simplicity and poverty as driving forces.

September 27, 2004 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

The first feature film directed by Luchino Visconti is a beaut and holds up well today as a slice-of-life drama.

November 30, 2003 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The film holds up well today, both as a murder story and as a slice-of-life.

December 12, 2002 Full Review Source: AV Club

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Noel Murray

AV Club

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Audience Reviews for Ossessione

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Wow, made in Italy in 1943, smack in the middle of WWII - this movie is fiendishly great - sucks you right in. Also, was this Massimo Girotti fellow ever on a Smiths cover? Cuz he freakin should have been. Great exterior street scene shots - w/ wonderful fluid camera movement.

March 28, 2007

Bob Stinson

Super Reviewer

Visconti's directoral debut is a cinematic milestone both in noir and neo-realism. Brilliant adaptation of The Postman Always Rings Twice, depicting the descent of two lonely souls into lust, avarice, and desperation. The use of light and shadow emphasize the character development. The finale is one of the most ironic

January 23, 2010