The Conformist (1970) - Bertolucci

Plot: Story of a weak willed man, an Italian fascist spy/assassin sent to Paris to kill his former professor.

What I liked: Great cinematography and production design. Well cast actors who looked the part. An interesting situation and thoughtful comment on the nature of political conformism. Except for a few scenes, the movie held my interest.

What I didn't Like:  Many scenes have a fantasy or cartoonish quality to them. The killing of the professor in particular was surreal. Further, "the conformists" motivation is sensationalist and simplistic. His mother is a drug addict, his father was mentally ill, and he's a repressed homosexual traumatized by a childhood assault! The story is too literal and substitutes "eye-candy" for psychological realism. Finally, the cat-and-mouse game with the professor was nonsensical and lacked tension. Why would the Left-wing professor be so chummy with a Fascist spy?

Note: Surprisingly, the film is still highly rated by critics, despite its demeaning view of Homosexuality and portraying every woman as a shrew, slut, or stupid!