La commare secca (literally “The Skinny Gossip”; English title: The Grim Reaper) is a 1962 Italian film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci in his directorial debut at just 21 years old. The screenplay, based on a story by Pier Paolo Pasolini, blends gritty realism with an innovative narrative structure, exploring themes of morality, social alienation, and violence in postwar Italy.
Plot Summary
The film opens with a shocking image: the lifeless body of a prostitute sprawled by the Tiber River in Rome. The story unfolds as the police interrogate a series of suspects, each of whom was present in a nearby park at the time of the murder. Through these interrogations, a mosaic of interconnected flashbacks emerges, offering conflicting perspectives and revealing fragments of Rome’s underbelly.
•The Young Hustler: A boy claims he spent the day seeking a job recommendation from priests. In truth, he and his friends had been roaming the park, robbing couples in secluded spots.
•The Gigolo: A narcissistic man recounts his movements, treating both his girlfriends with cruelty, driven by selfish desires.
•The Soldier: A forlorn soldier fails repeatedly to woo women and ultimately spends the night on a park bench, succumbing to exhaustion.
•The Teenagers: Two boys enjoy a carefree afternoon with a pair of girls but later target a vulnerable homosexual man, stealing from him in the park.
•The Prostitute’s Killer: Throughout the film, the prostitute’s preparations for her fateful evening are intercut, and in the final flashback, her killer—a man in clogs who had already been interrogated—emerges as the perpetrator. He is later apprehended at a dance.
The narrative structure echoes Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950) in its use of fragmented, subjective storytelling. However, Bertolucci denied being influenced by Kurosawa, asserting that he had not seen the film before making La commare secca. The result is a portrait of Rome as a city teeming with human flaws and moral ambiguity.
Critical Reception
Upon release, La commare secca garnered mixed reviews. Critics praised Bertolucci’s bold direction and the film’s poetic visuals but noted the heavy influence of Pasolini’s narrative style, making it less distinct as Bertolucci’s own work. The cinematography by Gianni Di Venanzo was widely acclaimed for its evocative portrayal of Rome’s stark urban landscape.
Some saw the film as an impressive debut for such a young director, highlighting Bertolucci’s potential for greatness. Others felt it lacked emotional resonance, with the disjointed narratives failing to fully connect the audience to the characters. Nevertheless, the film has since gained recognition as an important precursor to Bertolucci’s later masterpieces, offering a glimpse into his evolving artistic vision.
Legacy
Though La commare secca is often overshadowed by Bertolucci’s later works like The Conformist (1970) and Last Tango in Paris (1972), it remains a compelling exploration of crime and morality. The film is an early testament to Bertolucci’s skill in crafting atmospheric, character-driven stories, and his collaboration with Pasolini marks a significant moment in Italian cinematic history.
