The Empty Canvas

Saw this a long time ago. Few memories left. Scenery-chewing Bette Davis, young handsome Buchholz, good b&w photography, waste of Moravia's novel. All the memories go back to 18-year-old Catherine Spaak, in the summit of her beauty, youth, freshness, sexiness. Spaak was probably the sexiest teenage star in movies ever (arguably tied with Nastassja Kinski). AND there's the scene in the bed, when Buchholz "buys" her covering her with money bills. Go see.

"The Empty Canvas" is based on an Italian novel titled "Boredom," which is a stroke of marketing genius - why waste time with false advertising? Our protagonist, Dino (Horst Buchholz), epitomizes first-world problems: a wealthy, healthy young man plagued by existential ennui. Instead of doing something productive, like appreciating life's many gifts, Dino spends his time pretending to paint in a studio generously funded by his ever-indulgent mother. Who wouldn't want to root for a spoiled rich kid with nothing better to do than wallow in self-inflicted misery?

Feeling understandably fed up with his "demanding" life of leisure, Dino ogles a girl visiting his neighbor (because that's what rich existentialists do) and decides it's time to visit his mother, played by Bette Davis in a role that can only be described as "unconvincing." He asks to move back to the family's grand villa, where the saucy chambermaid Rita immediately starts a not-at-all-subtle campaign to seduce him. Because nothing screams high art like a bit of casual groping in front of Mom.

As the film progresses, it becomes clear that we've veered into the cinematic equivalent of a bad joke told in a bordello. Dino learns that his neighbor died while having sex with Cecilia, the girl he had previously ogled - a development that's both tasteless and, unsurprisingly, irresistible to our hero. He promptly tracks down Cecilia, portrayed by Catherine Spaak, who once again graces us with her signature role: the precocious, highly sexualized kitten, an archetype that made her a darling of 1960s Italian cinema.

Naturally, because this story is penned by a man, Dino's mother is the predictable castrating figure, while Cecilia serves as the convenient sex object who can hop from one man to another without so much as a blink. The depth of character development here is truly staggering.

Unfortunately, watching a rich, bored man engage in increasingly tedious bouts of sex while trying to pay off his obsession isn't exactly the thrill ride one might hope for. And the so-called "dramatic" denouement? Let's just say it doesn't make up for the time you'll never get back from watching this cinematic gem.

...produced by Carlo Ponti, directed by Damiano Damiani, and starring Horst Buchholz as an untalented painter who gives up his "art" to pursue an elusive free spirit of a girl (Catherine Spaak) while sponging money from his mother, a wealthy countess.

The rather aimless plot simply shows the lovers at various locations and follows their constant bickerings and separations. He never paints again, and she refuses to get tied down by marriage or any formal relationships. Stars aside, the other interesting thing about this film is that the countess is played by Bette Davis in her follow-up film to What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. Davis wears a blonde or gray wig and seemingly borrowed her eyebrows from Joan Crawford.

'The Empty Canvas' of Alberto Moravia's novel literally represents the emptiness of life of mediocre painter Dino. He finds solace with a tantalising but vacuous teenage girl whose lies and infidelities almost destroy his sanity until a near-fatal rendezvous with Death brings him to his senses........

As Dino's mother we have the riveting Bette Davis in the first of her two Italian films. She is adequately dubbed by character actress Rina Morelli but with Miss Davis of course, it is her looks that speak volumes. Her son, who affects to despise money but still sponges off her, is played by Horst Bucholz, not the easiest actor to get along with by all accounts. He has a definite presence and convey's well enough his character's Existential angst. Catherine Spaak is physically ideal as his female Nemesis. There are small but telling appearances by Isa Miranda, Lea Padovani and Georges Wilson whilst Daniella Rocca in a maid's outfit is actually far sexier than a naked Miss Spaak covered in bank notes!

Moravia himself referred to his novel as being about 'my kind of boredom' and in this adaptation even the sex is boring. The film itself alas is also a bit of a bore. Damiano Damiani's direction lacks the touch of a master and reminds us that Antonioni and Bolognini do this sort of thing so much better.

It is interesting that sex is often used in movies as garnish. But, when sex becomes the entrée, it is usually viewed as boring. This is exemplified in James Bond movies and in movies like The Empty Canvas. But why sex becomes drab is what makes The Empty Canvas so interesting. To those of us who believe that sex is merely a mechanical act devoid of deeper meaning, this film may be preachy. To those of us who view the act as something more, this film should be revealing. Eyes Wide Shut, Smooth Talk, and Looking for Mr. Goodbar are also films with sex as the main theme. How people respond to such films can say a lot. Playboy magazine hated Taxi Driver because Travis Bickle didn't make it with Betsy. Obviously and unfortunately, this skin deep mentality has made Hugh Heffner exceedingly rich and films like The Empty Canvas rare.