bkoganbing
Watching The Visit I couldn't help but think of The Merry Widow which also has as its protagonist one of the wealthiest women in the world, citizen of a small Ruritanian eastern European principality where it is hoped that she will literally underwrite the country. But there will be no waltzes and romances in The Visit.The town of Gullen has hit some bad times and it looks a whole lot like one of the USA's rust belt cities. But the town is hoping that Ingrid Bergman who is a widow with Onassis like wealth will be the savior of the place. So she promises to be if they will do but one thing. Kill the man who abandoned her as a pregnant teen to marry up and is now a prosperous merchant, Anthony Quinn.For those who think of Bergman as a film saint like Joan Of Arc or Sister Mary Benedict you are in for a big surprise. Ingrid will knock your socks off with this vengeful woman who has the means to buy just about anything and uses said means to settle a score.Tony Quinn is also a revelation too. He's a victim in a Kafkaesque like drama where everything and everyone has turned on him. He doesn't usually play frightened, but he does here in The Visit and does it well. Check the scene at the railroad station.The original play by Swiss author Friedrich Duerrenmatt had a 189 performance run and was done on Broadway by Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne. I'm informed that the ending in the play is different but I think this ending is pretty powerful stuff in any event. Bergman makes it so.The Visit got an Oscar nomination for Costume Design in a black and white picture. But it's a lot more than costumes, it's powerful stuff, maybe the most powerful role Ingrid Bergman ever undertook.
KurtHPickering
My recent acquisitions of Casablanca and Tivo have me watching a lot of old Ingrid Bergman movies, not to mention Bogie, and I just ran across one that should've been a classic yet I'd never heard of. It did get a minor Oscar nomination, but I thought both the story and Ingrid were superb.The Visit came out in 1964, late for a black and white film and perhaps that helped limit its success. I can see why that might've been done for artistic rather than economic reasons, though. It is a character study of two main characters (Ingrid's and an old flame played by Anthony Quinn, who also co-produced) and many lesser ones, and all of their lights and darks are perhaps magnified by watching in black and white.And it has my favorite of all plot devices, which it uses very well. I'd tell you what, but that might ruin it.I do recommend this one - and if you have Fox Movie Channel, it's on again next week (today being 7/9/05). Twice.
mcaule
Ingrid Bergman has been in many great movies (including some of my all time favorites); but this is not one of them.Bergman is fine as the bitter rich woman, Karla Zachanassian, coming back to her small town to extract revenge on the man (Anthony Quinn) who spurned her. Anthony Quinn is also in top form playing the graying middle aged man, who gave up her love to become a successful shopkeeper. Despite the powerful performances from very good actors, the movie seems very long and slow.There are definitely some good scenes and interesting moments, but nothing ever overcomes the overall sense of grayness and loss.Overall this is not a movie I would recommend, except for those who admire great acting (and actors) no mater what the story.
diabolene
Well, I haven't seen the play, but I enjoyed all the performances and plot of this disturbingly gripping and compelling film. Ingrid Bergman is riveting and enigmatic - does a great job with portraying a deeply hurt woman underneath a cold, stoney, vengeful exterior. My palms began to sweat and I felt like I was suffocating during the scene where Anthony Quinn's character tries to leave the town on the train...an excellent mob scene that develops slowly and builds, allowing you to feel Quinn's terror, helplessness and entrapment. Bergman is clearly the most stellar of the cast; her acting is bionic femme fatale and she looks phenomenal in her multi-millionaress outfits. Yes, there are some weaker spots, but I think if one over analyzes any movie one is able to find something worthy of criticism. Just sit back and enjoy "The Visit".
AD
