Des Lebens Herrlichkeit

Only two actors ,and it is much to their credit to sustain our interest throughout ;Florinda Bolkan was a beauty legend of the Italian cinema and American Tony Musante often worked in both country (notably in the excellent Dario Argento 's thriller "l'ucello dalle piume di cristallo"1967) .

It could be a mushy melodrama, it's a delicate treatment of the last day of a couple :they were married ,but even after divorce ,something remains who strangely looks like love ; not dwelling on the sordid side of live, the truth about the ex-husband is only revealed at the 50 th minute ( the pills and the injection disconcert the viewer though ).

It's a wandering through Venizia , Enrico taking his ex-wife to places when they were deeply in love ;and however ,he was not a faithful husband ,it's really a warts-and-all depiction(Enrico throws away the bouquet) inside a romantic journey through the past.

The parallel between dying Enrico and the town itself sinking and turning into silt has always been used , but here it's done in a tasteful way ;for a man without a future, who is afraid of dying in his sleep , clinging to memories is the only thing left to him ; the future is only this child , he won't see growing up, but who maybe will play his records (hence the gift ).

The music bears more than a distant resemblance to Francis Lai's score for "love story";as both movies were made at about the same time, it's probably a coincidence .

Hopefully you will get the Italian version with subtitles.

Some people say this movie is about a dying musician. I disagree. This movie is all about humanity, and the errors we make in our youth.

If we could have recorded every minute when we fell in love , every gesture, every smile and every Kiss, then maybe we wouldnt have to remind ourselves why we fell so deeply in love.

In this case the musician has a terminal disease, however life in its immense sarcasm and cruelty, reminds him , and the love of his life, how small and stupid as a species we are. And how , so many small mistakes lead to desperation and sadness.

The astonishingly beautiful scenery, the most romantic music, the live drama are just perfect. Its European cinema at its best. No need for special effects or expensive sets. The city itself provides everything needed. Pure acting is all that is required, and both actors deliver superb performances.

It is the type of movies that shakes depressed souls and hopelessly romantic individuals like myself. Life can be beautiful one moment yet tremendously cruel the next. Lets not give it a chance to destroy us earlier than necessary. It is a fact of life, though , eventually we will all end up alone, miserable with just our memories.

A must for couples that want to rescue their love. And a warning for the rest of mortals so they dont fall down into the well of total and inconsolable desperation.

ps. Never visit Venice in the summer. Wait for the fall, or winter, you will fall in love with the unforgettable city like no other.

"Anonimo veneziano" is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. Musante and Bolkan are terrific in their roles. It deserves more than one look at it.

A beautiful film that made a great impression on me at a very early age. Although basically it is a love story, it has many other emotions which are wonderfully portrayed by Florinda Balkan and Tony Musante. Apart from the story, the theme music haunted me for months if not years. The photography of Venice is superb and will be appreciated by anyone who has ever visited there.

beautiful movie, amazing how the ugly present( filmed in the fall -a decaying, dying Venice) contrasts with a bright, happy, past( filmed in the summer). Musante and Bolkan are great, running the whole gamut of emotions from whispers to screams, from laughter to tears, from sarcasm and blunt wickedness to compassion and love. one more thing. the music. morbidly beautiful.

don't see the English version, try to find the Italian one( both actors sound a lot more convincing in Italian-could be the accent). hopefully this can be digitally remastered, as the sound and the color really spoil the picture.

If you liked this one, try also Bobby Deerfield, somewhat similar.