El signo de Venus

Engaging movie with a great cast of characters. Kept me guessing about whether Cesira would find love or not.

Although not perhaps regarded as 'major' Risi this is a very pleasing and entertaining film with an excellent cast. Sophia Loren had just scored a hit in 'L'Oro di Napoli' under Vittorio de Sica's direction and by all accounts he is still the 'guiding hand' here. De Sica himself is as always immaculate whilst Sordi and Vallone never disappoint. It is the performance of Franca Valeri in probably her greatest role as the forlorn, luckless-in-love Cesira that steals the show. Valeri also had a hand in the script as the film was originally intended to be directed by Comencini and built around the character of the same name that she had created on radio and television. Comencini pulled out and the Risi-de Sica-Loren triumvirate moved in. Valeri still manages to come out best however. She was to excel in 'Il Vedovo' three years later for the same director. The most striking and unusual credit is that of the Production Designer: a certain Carl Theodor Dreyer!

All the characters were interesting and fantastic. This is Sofia Loren at her best as usual, she is Venus. Her cousin is the opposite. What an entertaining Italian gem of a film

Here, in the leading role, we meet Cesira, played by Franca Valeri. She is a free thinker. For her time, we can even consider her as a rebel. But, she is jealous, she doesn't achieve happiness, she doesn't find love.

At her opposite, there is her cousin, Agnese Tirabassi, played by Sophia Loren. Unlike Cesira, Agnese gets all the attention from men.

Despite its conservative vision of women-men relationships, the film shines through the compelling, amusing characters that bring a unique spirit to this movie filmed in Rome. It contrasts with Dino Risi's other 1955 film, Pan, amor y... (1955), in the sense, that it is isn't a movie about charm, but rather on the absence of it and on jealousy.

Nevertheless, the directing of Dino Risi attenuates the film's dramatic themes. For that reason, I think that if you are a fan of Italian comedies, you should go for it.

Dino Risi has directed many Italian classics, but here he is young, but in no way does he seem inexperienced. Taking over the helm from Luigi Comencini, he brings on board a 'power trio' like Loren-De Sica- Sordi. The original script was partially written by Franca Valeri Who remains the true protagonist of this Italian caper set in the early fifties,in Rome.

Italian Cinema is full of minor films that rattle along with energy and wit, and this is one of them. Here Alberto Sordi Is repetitive alongside DeFilippo, and although the cast is choc full of great actors like Tina Pica, the script is repetitive and convaluted, stumbling on the déja-vu, especially with Sordi and DeSica as con-artists of sorts.

Franca Valeri injects a mixture of quaintness and dreamy self-delusion as Cesira (a character she had already invented for her popular TV sketches) but she brilliantly never lets self-pity crush her energy. Her pretty cousin (Loren) attracts men like flies, but Cesira Is convinced that she too will pull it off.

This is not the case and she will always be proved wrong. Manipulated or ignored by all men, she is the only one who winds up alone in the end. Or will she have another chance, as her sooth-sayer acquaintance guarantees? Resilient she is!

Not, maybe, a great film; but certainly an early showcase for a number of standout Italian actors.