Die Strohpuppe

This is not a brilliant movie by any means, but it's worth seeing if you can track it down on late-night television or the limited VHS release (poor transfer quality, so be warned if you happen to find one). Ralph Richardson in particular gives a great performance, playing the meanest tycoon this side of Montgomery Burns, with a bit of "The Magic Christian"'s Sir Guy Grande thrown in for good measure. It's not surprising his nephew (Sean Connery) would want to do him in. Connery spends much of the film looking and acting like he's still in James Bond character. He wears similar well-tailored clothing and has the same cool, slightly bored manner he affected in those movies. Towards the end, though, his character turns sociopathically chilling, and he hits some good acting notes in that part of the film. Gina Lollabrigida gives a good performance sporadically, as well. Her halting English does her in at times, as it does in most of her films, but she delivers great emotion when her character has terrible things happen to her. The film has a rather slow start, but builds nicely and offers some twists along the way.

Sean Connery, Sir Ralph Richardson, and Gina Lollabrigida star in "Woman of Straw", a 1964 film.

Connery plays Tony Richmond, who hires Maria (Lollabrigida) as a nurse for his impossible wheelchair-bound uncle (Richardson). His Uncle Charles is cruel and rude, and Maria doesn't want to put up with him.

Shortly after she arrives, she quits. Tony explains to her that his uncle doesn't have long to live, which she knows, and he's only been left 20 grand in his uncle's will. If Uncle Charles marries Maria, she'll inherit everything, and she can give him a million pounds. It's all perfect.

Maria and Tony are attracted to one another, though at first she resists. She also doesn't think she can bring herself to get Uncle Charles sufficiently interested in her to marry him - the idea repulses her. In truth, she winds up growing quite fond of him and is strict in the way she cares for him. However, his Jekyll-Hyde behavior becomes too much and she quits again. This time, Charles goes to see her himself and proposes. She accepts.

While on a yacht trip, Charles changes his will to benefit her and doubles his nephew's inheritance to $40,000. Tony tells her that he will have to register the will in London when they get back in order for it to be legal. And that's where the trouble begins.

Terrific film, well directed by Basil Dearden, produced in color with glorious scenery. Everyone does a great job, particularly Richardson, such a magnificent actor, who is hateful one minute and likable the next.

Connery and Lollabrigida are gorgeous. It's a good script that will keep you involved right to the very end. Highly recommended. This doesn't seem to be out on DVD. I saw it on Netflix streaming, and now it's gone. Don't know what the problem is, but this deserves to be seen.

Catherine Arley's novel and the play which followed both used to take place in Germany,just after the war.The nurse character was a survivor who had absolutely nothing left and thus had nothing to lose.She read a "job" advertisement -very special- in a paper and she wound up in a noble's desirable mansion.

Hence the changes:the nurse becomes Italian,and the greybeard and his nephew English.It does not make a big difference,and the movie is entertaining anyway.Too slow in its first part,it gains momentum later,and by the last third he's hit its stride:there are almost scary scenes :the old man's sunglasses,the cigarette in the car,the detective in the dead's wheelchair.Lollobrigida,Connery -at "Goldfinger' time- and Richardson give effective performances and the plot is full of suspense.

The old fogey digs classical music which he keeps listening to all day;it does not soothe the savage breast,as far as he's concerned,but Gina does.

This film, one of the earliest starring Sean Connery, has strong and alluring power of its own. The visual settings are magnificent, and Gina Lollobrigida was never more seductive or beautiful than in this motion picture. Connery shows more depth than in many of his later films--one wonders what direction his career might have taken if he had not fallen into the clutches of "Cubby" Broccoli and the whole 007 thing. Sir Ralph is, well, Sir Ralph--imperious, petulant, old school upper class damn-the-servants Brit...This film plays strongly to anyone interested in the psychological stress a crime induces in the various participants, and this is one of the many factors that separate it from the run of the mill police procedural. Finally, it has an evocative and excellent musical score--and no wonder, since Rimsky-Korsakov's Cappricio Espanol features prominently as a mood-setter. Altogether, a good rainy afternoon movie!

If you can find Woman of Straw, buy yourself a copy. You're going to want to watch it over and over again. This is a romantic thriller with a fantastic cast of Sean Connery, Gina Lollobrigida, Ralph Richardson, and Alexander Knox, that will have you talking about it for days afterwards.

Ralph Richardson is extremely wealthy, and as mean as he is wealthy. He abuses everyone who works for him, and most people, if they can afford to, quit. However, his latest nurse, the beautiful Gina Lollobrigida, stays despite the verbal assaults. Does she have a heart of gold, or does her endurance have anything to do with Ralph's sexy nephew, Sean Connery? That's all I'm going to tell you about the plot, and if you can watch this fantastic drama without anyone telling you more about the plot, take advantage of the opportunity. Yes, this is a short review, but it's one that highly recommends this smart, tense drama. Rent it for the eye candy or rent it for the great story, but whatever the reason, you'll be glad you did.