This film is a personal favorite of mine, a guilty pleasure that I return to quite often. It's not a masterpiece, but I'm drawn to its style and premise. The plot is an intriguing, far-fetched tale of greed that turns to murder and deception played out in a wealthy English country estate and aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. Lovely to look at as well are the two stars: a suave, well tailored Sean Connery in his prime, and the incomparable Gina Lollobrigida decked out in a Dior wardrobe and looking as up-to-date today as she did half a century ago. It's not like watching an old movie at all. In addition to her appearance, she gives a compelling performance. How could anyone not enjoy two hours of this? "Woman of Straw" came toward the end of Basil Dearden's career and his direction is experienced and sure-handed. The intelligent script contains some thoughtful statements on racism and class structure. This profound bit of dialog is uttered by the tyrannical millionaire, played by Ralph Richardson, when reminiscing about his late wife: "She never raised her voice to me, never tried to wheedle anything out of me. She was exceptional. She died in great pain. A kind nature is no defense against sickness and death, so what's the point of it?" Gems like this have me hanging on every word. The cat and mouse game goes on a little too long and taxes suspension of disbelief, but it's a fun-filled journey all the way.
Review of Woman of Straw
