La peur

Shades of Hitchcock in this somewhat atypical Ingrid Bergman - Roberto Rossellini collaboration. Most of the film appears simple and straightforward; there is an effective plot twist in the middle, but the ending is rather weak and anticlimactic. Bergman brings her customary class and consumate skill to the project; the little-known Renate Mannhardt is arguably even better as the kind of blackmailer I'd gladly give in to any of her demands! She certainly holds her own in their one-on-one confrontations, which are the best scenes in the film. Some of the English dubbing sounds a little awkward. **1/2 out of 4.