The Conversation Piece (1974) - Visconti

Plot:  An Italian Professor's quiet life is interrupted by bositerous, unwanted, tenants upstairs.
Stars:  Burt Lancaster, Helmut Berger, Silvana Mangano, Claudia Marsani

This was Visconti's last movie, shot on a soundstage, with Lancaster as the backup Director. As you might expect, the whole thing is a gab-fest. Unfortunately, I could only see the English Dub version, even though everyone (except Berger) sounds better in the non-subtitled Italian.

The Good? No doubt much of the humor got lost in translation - but the story still held my interest. The Professor begins by despising these vulgarians and ends by regarding them as adopted family.  The set design is brilliant, the direction good.  Everyone looks the part.  Berger does an excellent job with his character, everyone else is adequate.

The Bad:  Unlike Visconti, I didn't love - or even like - these obnoxious characters.  Marsani is an airhead, while Mangano is hard & shrill. Berger (the Bi-sexual, Left-wing, drug dealer)  who the Professor falls in love with - is particularly hard to take.  Some scenes fall flat: including a badly done threesome bi-sex scene (complete with Auden and a 60's pop song) and an extremely fake looking suicide.

Lancaster:  He looks the part, but is vocally inexpressive. The Italian voice dub highlights his limitations.  Burt talks slow and quiet - but old/dignified shouldn't equal bland. The role required a better film actor - to add something to the character. Olivier had accepted the role, but later backed out. Too bad.

Summary:  Minor Visconti.  A gabby, talk fest that's probably better in Italian. Not bad, just mediocre.  A Product of its times.