Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man

Bernardo Bertolucci followed up his controversial ’70s films (Last Tango in Paris, 1900, and La Luna) with this farcical Parma-set drama, in which a desperate Ugo Tognazzi schemes to save his nearly bankrupt cheese factory by reinvesting money intended to cover the ransom on his son, who has been kidnapped by terrorists. Anouk Aimée co-stars as Tognazzi’s noble French wife, who exudes self-assurance despite being in the dark about what’s going on between her husband’s machinations and the truth concerning her son’s predicament. Carlo Di Palma and Bertolucci render the sprawling, autumnal landscapes of Parma as a striking backdrop against which the film’s enthralling political, criminal, and familial dynamics unfold. 35mm print from Istituto Luce Cinecittà.