RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Ossessione
Ossessione

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Ossessione (1942)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
100 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:9

Fresh:9

Rotten:0

Average Rating:8.2/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 22 mins

Genre: Foreign Films

Synopsis: Luchino Visconti's Italian Neo-Realist parable is based on James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice." Gino, a poor, uneducated wanderer, falls in love with Giovanna, the comely but... Luchino Visconti's Italian Neo-Realist parable is based on James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice." Gino, a poor, uneducated wanderer, falls in love with Giovanna, the comely but unhappy wife of a fat, aging tavern owner. She longs to escape her unctuous, dull-witted husband Bragana but has no alternative means of survival. When Gino walks into her life, it's as if a world of possibility and passion has opened before her. So the newfound lovers kill the old man and plan their own escape. But once he's dead, a fretful Giovanna grows paranoid, fearing that everyone suspects them. Irritable and apprehensive, Gino also starts to lose nerve. Emotionally demoralized and psychologically unsettled, the fugitives finally realize the fate they've sealed for themselves. [More]

Starring: Clara Calamai, Massimo Girotti, Vittorio Duse, Dhia Cristiani

Starring: Clara Calamai, Massimo Girotti, Vittorio Duse, Dhia Cristiani, Juan de Landa

Director: Luchino Visconti

Director: Luchino Visconti
Screenwriter: Alberto Moravia, Luchino Visconti, Mario Alicata, Gianni Puccini, Giuseppe De Santis
Story: James M. Cain
Composer: Giuseppe Rosati
Producer: Libero Solaroli

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jul 16, 2002

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Passion turns deadly in this controversial neo-realist classic from acclaimed director Luchino Visconti (Death in Venice), adapted from James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice." Beautiful hotel owner Giovanna ("Deep Red's" Clara Calamai) is hopelessly drawn to Gino ("Last Tango in Paris'" Massimo Girotti), a handsome drifter. They decide to kill off her spouse and collect his hefty insurance premium, but soon the lovers are trapped in a spiral of deception, jealousy, and fate. Banned and censored for years, "Ossessione" profoundly affected generations of audiences after causing a stormy religious and political scandal in Italy, and is now available in its original, uncensored director's cut.
  • Source: Image Entertainment, Inc.
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for Ossessione

    • T-Meter Critics
    • Top Critics
    • RT Community
    • My Critics
    • My Friends
    • DVD
     
     
    1 - 12 (sorted by source)
    Text View
    Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
     
     

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

    Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
    12/12/02
    Noel Murray
    Noel Murray
    AV Club
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
    05/24/03
    Channel 4 Film

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

    Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
    12/10/02
    Don Druker
    Don Druker
    Chicago Reader

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    10/22/06
    Cole Smithey
    Cole Smithey
    ColeSmithey.com

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

    Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
    09/27/04
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    Combustible Celluloid

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    07/05/05
    Emanuel Levy
    Emanuel Levy
    EmanuelLevy.Com

    No review available.

    comment Comment
    01/19/07
    Jake Euker
    Jake Euker
    F5 (Wichita, KS)

    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.

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    05/20/03
    Vincent Canby
    Vincent Canby
    New York Times

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

    Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
    11/30/03
    Dennis Schwartz
    Dennis Schwartz
    Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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

    Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
    02/13/09
    Matthew Sorrento
    Matthew Sorrento
    PopMatters
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    01/26/06
    Time Out
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    10/18/08
    Variety
     
     
    1 - 12 (sorted by source)
    Text View
    See All

    More DVDs

    Close
    Top Rentals
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    14% 14% The Ugly Truth
    98% 98% Up
    36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
    52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
    45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

    More Rentals…

    New On DVD This Week
    Tomatometer Percentage Movie
    32% 32% Terminator Salvation
    44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
    86% 86% A Christmas Tale
    60% 60% Paper Heart

    More New Releases…

    See All

    RT On Current TV

    The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

    DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

    Learn how you can be part of the show

    More...

    What’s Hot On RT

    Total Recall

    Total Recall

    John Travolta's top reviewed movies

    Disney Countdown

    Disney Countdown

    Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

    RT's Gift Guide

    RT's Gift Guide

    Give the best movies, gear, and more!

    What's Coming Out

    What's Coming Out

    Find movies for the holiday weekend!

    Other News

    Close
    • Top Stories
    • Popular
    • Interviews
     
     

    Comments

     
     
    Top Stories
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Tobey Maguire Talks Brothers, Spider-Man 4 Source: Boston Globe
    14
    • Nimród Antal Talks Predators Source: ComingSoon.net
    9
    • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
    78
    • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
    24
    • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
    48
    • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
    26
    • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
    34
    • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
    10
    • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
    1
    • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
    128
    Popular
    Headlines Comments
      
    • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
    95
    • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
    93
    • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
    88
    • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
    79
    • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
    47
    • WB offers DVD to Blu-ray Trade-In Program
    33
    • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
    26
    • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
    24
    • RT's Blu-ray Picks from WB
    23
    • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
    18
    Interviews
    Headlines Comments
      
    • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
    17
    • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
    11
    • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
    21
    • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
    8
    • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
    15
    • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
    21
    • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
    8
    • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
    28
    • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
    28
    • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
    14
     
     

    Sponsored Links

    Around The Network

    • Ossessione at Rotten Tomatoes

    Fresh Links

    Featured
    Wes Anderson on Fox
    Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

    The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

    Animated Oscar?
    Animated Oscar? External Link

    Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

    TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
    TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

    Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

    Scenic Routes
    Scenic Routes External Link

    The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

    Promos
    Follow RT on Twitter
    Follow RT on Twitter External Link

    Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

     
     
    About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
    IGN Logo

    IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
    TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
    AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


    By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
    Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
    IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
    Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.