The film sticks with meticulous fidelity to the realism of the novel, which couldn't be more exact and consistent in its absolute veracity, and that's what's wrong with it, which isn't actually any wrong at all, but the fault of Balzac. Almost all his novels are about greed and the fallacy of man in his weakness for crass materialism, and all his good characters become victims of the pettiness and greed of others. Eugenie Grandet is something else. She does not fall a victim to the grotesque cruelty of greed of her father, of which he isn't even aware himself, but she survives by her fidelity and faith to the obedience of a good daughter. She is his only child, and although she survives well in her patient piety, the victim instead becomes her mother, who has nothing to say against her hopelessly narrow-minded husband. The book and the film is more than the anatomy of the cruelty of greed because of Eugenie's higher character, who never utters a sound of objection to her father's monstrosity. Unfortunately her cousin, the gallant and dashing Charles Grandet is more related with her father than with her in his mentality, and he becomes a fortune-hunter in India and South America and returns a rtich man - to find himself the perfect loser, since Eugenie hasn't forgot him and hasn't been unfaithful to him, but because his vanity has taken the better of him, and he doesn't realize the folly he is committing.
As always in Italian films, it is masterful craftswork all through, the cinematography is always exquisite without boasting its quality, and the actors are all splendid. To this comes the very appropriate music by Renzo Rosselllini. It is a perfect Balzac picture dressed up in an Italian costume that only enhances the Balzachian qualities of realism above all. It is long but fascinating and captivating all the way through, and you will never lose interest, as Balzac never dísappoints a reader.
