the film of chemistry between two great actors. used in brilliant manner by De Sica in a film about love, hope and truth. but the chemistry is more large. the splendid images, the inspired music, the force of humor, the war in different perspective, the absence of precise details who transforms the story in an universal one. and the message who remains touching at each new view. not the last - the status of bridge between West and East in middle of Cold War. sure, propaganda. sure, it is not an isolated case. but the fresh Russian air is one of the basic ingredients who transforms the film in a kind of evergreen. because it is one of that small pieces who sustains a large building. Loren, Mastroianni and De Sica. and large images with sunflowers. that is it.

In the 1940s and into the 50s, Vittorio De Sica made quite a name for himself. Although he was a very successful actor, as a director he became one of the big names in the Italian film industry during this period through his so-called neo-realist films. De Sica and a few other directors found their country in ruins following WWII and practically no funds to make films. So they improvised--abandoning fancy sets (most were blown up during the war) and went into the streets filming non-actors. While it sounds destined to fail, De Sica's films of the period became classics with successes like "The Bicycle Thieves", "Umberto D", "The Children are Watching Us" and "Miracle in Milan". Here in "Sunflower", you see De Sica in a much later period--and the film is about as unlike a neo-realist movie as you can get. Here instead of non-names acting in the leads, you've got Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren--the two biggest stars of the Italian cinema. You've also got some location shooting...in the Soviet Union!! This must have cost a fortune and economy clearly was NOT the trademark of this film.The story is a sad one. A guy (Mastroianni) is being drafted into the Italian Fascist army during WWII and he doesn't want to go. He decides to marry a beautiful lady (Loren) and she is soon left home to wait for him. However the man is sent to the Russian Front and never returns. Years pass and she eventually visits the USSR to look for traces of him...and discovers he's alive!!In many ways, the film is reminiscent of the wonderful French film "A Very Long Engagement". Both stories are about women who refuse to believe that their love is dead despite being lost in the war-- though the way both stories play out are very different. As for "Sunflower" it's a very good film though not quite as good as "A Very Long Engagement".The film has generally good direction but, surprisingly, a few camera shots are fuzzy and should have been better as were a few clumsy edits. I wouldn't have expected this with a great director like De Sica. As for the rest of the film, the story is compelling, though a bit slow. I didn't mind the slowness, though some might. Much of this is because many times instead of talking or doing things, the director had the actors use their faces and body language to convey a lot of the story. It's artsy but still I enjoyed it and the music was haunting. As far as the ending goes, it did leave me slightly dissatisfied as I wanted to see Loren's character beat her husband within an inch of his life!! Oh well, you can't win 'em all.By the way, I was very, very surprised that the film crew got permission to make a film with so much of it shot in the Soviet Union. Things weren't exactly friendly at the time between the East and West but somehow they got it done. Also, when they showed Loren's character going about the country unescorted, this did seem a bit unlikely--though who knows? I just assumed Italians and other westerners wouldn't be able to do so back in 1970--perhaps I am wrong.

I just finished watching the stunning Blu Ray of the original Italian English-subtitled version of this film--the best version available. I do not understand all the naysayers reviewing this film. If you are a fan of Loren and Mastroianni, if you are a fan of DeSica, if you enjoy a good old-fashioned melodrama that will tear at your heart, you MUST see this film! To dismiss this film as Soviet propaganda, or as unrealistic, is like criticizing "The Little Mermaid" for having a singing mermaid and talking fish. It utterly misses the point. This movie contains one of the very best, if not THE best Sophia Loren performance on film. Henri Mancini's score is unforgettable. This film makes you care about the plight of both characters. It is available as part of the new "Sophia Loren Collection" box set, and for me, this, along with "Marriage Italian Style," is the "jewel" of the set. See it!

You know the plot.Sunflower was Vittorio De Sica's last film. It was dismissed by the critics as hopelessly maudlin melodrama. But anyone who cares enough to be reading this no doubt knows the humanity he crafted into every frame, and the beauty and sadness of life it evokes.Henry Mancini's theme song is, IMVHO, the very best he ever wrote. I'm reduced to tears every time I hear it. Yet it seems Mancini himself treated as a lesser child. His daughter recorded it to lyrics better left forgotten.