Dark Eyes (1987)

I saw this movie before reading any reviews, and I thought it was very funny. I was very surprised to see the overwhelmingly negative reviews this film received from critics.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

In Venice 73', a tribute to Marcello Mastroianni, we watched a screening of this vintage Italy-USSR- USA co-production directed by Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov in mint condition, restored with an approximately 20-minute additional footage to its original theatrical and DVD length of 117 minutes, including additional scenes of Isabella Rossellini, who plays the daughter of our principal character Romano (Mastroianni).DARK EYES won Mastroianni his second BEST ACTOR prize in Cannes, and reaped a third Oscar nomination for him, all his three nominations are from foreign language pictures, which is a second to none achievement in the Academy history, presently only Javier Bardem and Marion Cotillard seem to have the chance to match that record.This story is told in flashback, on a steamer, Romano, a middle-aged Italian man recounts to a Russian passenger Pavel (Larionov) his hopeless infatuation to a Russian lady Anna (Safonova), whom he has first met in a convalescent sanatorium. What we sees of Anna is a beautiful and well- bred lady, but also mousy and withdrawn under Safonova's marginally evasive interpretation, however, love is such a strange thing, in the eyes of Romano - the carefree, "kept" husband of a rich aristocratic heiress Elisa (Mangano), Anna is the true north of his pursuit. After a string of hilarious episodes in that magnificent sanatorium, Romano successfully woos her into bed, But the next day, Anna departs abruptly with a letter written in Russian, she is ashamed of their adultery, fleeing is the only thing she can do at then.Losing Anna like this leaves a big hole in Romano's hollow life, he must see her again, on the pretext of scouting places to build a factory to manufacture a type of unbreakable glass, Romano arrives in Soviet Union with zeal, when he finally reaches the town where Anna lives, he is hailed by the locals as the first ever foreigner in their land, and greeted by Elisa's husband, the Governor of Sysoyev (Smoktunovskj, carrying a distinctly comedic bearing). The reunion sets their hearts on divorcing their respective spouses and spending the rest of their lives together. So, driven by an unprecedented spur of hope and devotion, Romano returns home to divorce Elisa, only to find the latter is in a dire financial pickle, she must sell her palatial villa due to bad investment, the regal Mangano is exquisitely vulnerable and simpatico in her final screen role (she would die of lung cancer two years later), so, maybe, it is not a convenient moment for Romano to announce his decision (pouring oil on the fire from a good-for-nothing husband), but when will be the right moment? What about Anna? Romano's narration stops right there and a newly-married Pavel talks about his wife, then it is time to lunch, Romano turns out to be a waiter on the steamer, and Pavel is so eager to introduce his wife to him, guess who is coming to lunch? The film cheekily draws to a close.That final revelation is somewhat jumping-the-shark, Chekhov certainly would not approve of such levity, but for the most part, DARK EYES is coruscating with hearty humor and imposing period decor and props, and after all, it is a top-shelf Mastroianni vehicle, entering the twilight year of his life, Romano is a signature role he has been playing for decades - a happy-go-lucky roué stumbles upon a once-of-a-lifetime romance, he totally emancipates himself in relishing Romano's fortune and misfortune, runs the full emotional gamut with pyrotechnics (poignancy and laughter are sound evidence), what a charismatic cinematic icon! It is proper my honor to watch this curio on the big screen, and sets the seal on my very first, quite satisfactory Venice vacation.

for its wise simplicity. for its touching beauty. and for the high Mkhalkov precision to create the details. a film with an impressive cast - Mastroianni is the first violin but not the one - and example of inspired manner to use the Tchekov spirit and the glamor of a century beginning. a film like a puzzle in which each image, performance or scene is charming like a kind of gem, delicate and illustration of art of a master. a special meeting between art of few great actors and an unique director. and the flavor of a Russia who becomes different in contact with Mastroianni - it is not the only meeting , Sunflower is another , but in this case, far by war or Sophia Loren, the story seems be a precious drink in a crystal glass.for me, one of films who, after its end, proofs than it represents one of movies who you search for without know than it exists.

An Italian who cannot afford to take anything seriously (as by now he is little more than an ornament in the life of his countess wife) meets a young, married Russian woman at a spa, where she is alone (and living on short funds). Not meaning to, he causes her to fall in love with him (rather than simply to bed him, as would be the usage at the spa). He realizes this when she returns to Russia and her husband. He then sets out on the one serious undertaking of his life, meeting her again in Russia. For her part, she has realized that he could only be what he is, and in any case she lives as a correct married lady. So the enterprise leads to nothing -- except that the Italian loses the taste for standing for his wife's husband, and winds up, appropriately, as a waiter on a ferry. Extremely memorable.

At first it seemed a terribly slow start. This was exacerbated by our mistaken notion that "Oci Ciornie" was just another title for "Urga" - we kept wondering when and how they would ever get to Mongolia in that boat!However, once we'd determined the actual story line the dilatory beginning seemed somehow apropos. Did Mikhalkov really mean to show us the emptiness of adultery? Or is he just an astute observer of the human condition? The parallels to the 1960 B&W "Lady with the Dog" (Russian) were striking. Especially the watermelon scene. But "Dark Eyes" takes the story further and carries the theme to its logical conclusion. My daughters hated it - they prefer stories of fidelity. But I did think it was refreshing for a film to come nearer the truth for a change. Adultery is not that fulfilling.