Rapimento

This is a film that I've seen twice, the last time in 1972, that has stuck with me all these years. Patricia Gozzi was so alluring and the score so haunting and beautiful...I remember waiting for the credits to role to see the name of this unknown actress and the composer. It's the first I'd heard of Georges Delarue and the first of many times I'd heard a mesmerizing score and later seen Delarue's name. I'd love to see this movie again.

This film has been showing up lately on Fox Movie Channel. Catch it if you can or have a friend tape it for you. You'll never see another film like it. Delerue's music is probably the one element that makes the film unforgettable, but there's also the screenplay which could almost be a modern day greek tragedy about the torments of adolescence before and after sexual awakening; the central performances by 15 year old Patricia Gozzi, Hollywood veteran Melvyn Douglas, former child actor Dean Stockwell and Swedish Bergman star Gunnel Lindblom that keep the whole thing believable in spite of the overheated plot; the incredible cinematography whose fluidity and composition enhance every word and emotion; the sound design which, although almost entirely post synchronized, is done brilliantly and never feels canned or artificial.

There is so much that's puzzling about the movie, one wonders if we'll ever know how it came to be made. The original treatment that it's based on is by Ennio Flaiano, Fellini's most frequent writing collaborator, but it's written by an Englishman, Stanley Mann. The director never made anything before or after that indicated he had the imagination or sensitivity to create something like it (yes this is the same John Guillerman that made Shaft in Africa and The Towering Inferno). It's shot on location and yet has the look of an A-list film shot on a sound stage. The cast includes two Americans, a Frenchwoman and a Swede, so it was probably dubbed into many languages for international distribution. Produced by 20th Century Fox, it couldn't be less American.

Most puzzling of all: why has it never received the recognition it deserves?

If anyone reading this has background information about its production, please contact me.

Those who remember kid actress Patricia Gozzi's stirring performance in Sundays & Cybele (1962) will be equally amazed at the remarkable range she displays in this outing. As Agnes (or "Aun-yez", as the French pronounce it) she easily steals the film from headliners Dean Stockwell & Melvyn Douglas. Not a bad feat for a 15-year-old with limited previous film experience -- and none in English language films! Her completely believable performance as the sheltered & confused daughter of an embittered retired judge (Douglas) is nothing less than riveting.

The movies' premise in a nutshell revolves around Agnes' conviction that a scarecrow she has made has come alive after fugitive Stockwell dons its clothes while on the run, and the ensuing relationship that develops between the two. Stockwell, whose fine performances have graced so many films, doesn't have much to do this time around. Film veteran Douglas, on the other hand, gets in some memorable scenes. Georges Delerue provides the gorgeous music he was noted for -- perfect for the film.

Whether this particular movie grabs you or not, at its conclusion you'll no doubt find yourself wondering why Gozzi -- whose career seemed to come to a grinding halt shortly after this -- didn't continue acting into her adult years and become a major star. It's one of those perplexing mysteries of filmdom!

I have just tracked down this film, through this site, many years after the one and only time I saw it. I saw it as a B film i.e. tagged on to the main feature but it left such a lasting impression I cannot remember what the main feature was.

It was the beginning of the film that made such an impact on me and that I remember most.The idea of a scarecrow coming to life (Joseph in hiding) and Agnes'd reaction which gripped me. The photography was dark and powerful.The developing relationship between Agnes and Joseph and her fathers reaction to it was moving. I do not know what I would make of it now but I hope it would generate the same emotions that I felt as a teenager.

Rapture is a difficult film to explain. Many people will describe it in terms of themes, but those who have seen it can tell that there are many different themes. The story concerns a girl named Agnes (Patricia Gozzi) who acts slightly insane because of her difficulty to grow from a child into an adult. She lives with her distant father (Melvyn Douglas) and housekeeper Karen (Gunnel Lindblom) who do little to understand her. Agnes spends her time playing in the surf whistling with the sea gulls and taking care of her dolls. She desperately wants something of her own so she makes a scarecrow and cares for it like a child. Soon, an escaped criminal named Joseph (Dean Stockwell) comes and dons the scarecrow's clothes, causing Agnes to imagine that her creation has come to life. She convinces the family to take Joseph into their home and quickly becomes enamored with him.

The move stars slowly but gets progressively better. Each character is complex and interesting, namely Agnes and Joseph. Their relationship is intriguing if not a bit disturbing. Physically, they are both very beautiful people. Gozzi is gorgeous despite wearing no makeup and acting like a child; she is reminiscent of Ingrid Bergman. Stockwell also looks like a composite of two classic stars: James Dean and Montgomery Clift.