The most openly erotic of Michelangelo Antonioni’s films, Identification of a Woman stars Tomas Milian as Niccolò, a film director who is at the end of his rope both personally and professionally. Dabbling with the idea of making a film about the ideal woman, he’s also carrying on with a number of lovers. One in particular, Mavi (Daniela Silverio), a woman from what used to be called “the top drawer,” allows Antonioni to reexamine the foolishness of the aristos at play as he had in La Notte and Blow Up.
The biggest problem with Identification of a Woman is that Antonioni doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Worse yet, he’s done it better before. One of the films biggest problems is Milian’s performance. He plays Niccolò as a conceited, vain, unlikable philanderer on the cusp of middle age who finds women incomprehensible and, frankly, a waste of space. He makes a little bit more of an effort with Mavi, but he’s not very impressed with education at a Welsh boarding school because it did nothing to improve her skills in the bedroom. Things improve after a lesson in cunnilingus, but he’s nonplussed when she complains about his odd behavior while driving through a foggy countryside.
After Mavi disappears mysteriously, Niccolò begins seeing stage actress Ida (Christine Boisson), but while they enjoy their time together, he can’t bring himself to say the “l word” which she desperately wants to hear. In the midst of this, Niccolò is continuing a search for Mavi.
Typical of the Antonioni style, threats of harm are suggested if Niccolò continues his relationship with Mavi, which only deepens his paranoia. She may be needy, and unable to deal with a real personal relationship—“you manage to sound intelligent and stupid at the same time,” he tells her in one of his more candid moments—nonetheless, she is still able to hit him where it hurts with a biting reply, “You don’t love me; I only help you to live.” Clearly, both these individuals are incapable of engaging in an adult relationship.
Antonioni’s script is surprisingly bland, offering little in the way of plot or characterization. Though the characters are placed in a series of rather nice locales, he doesn’t use them to explore any new ground. As an Antonioni fan, it pains me to say that Identification of a Woman isn’t very good. It’s no wonder the film didn’t have a U.S. release until the mid ‘90’s.
When you consider L’Avventura and then watch Identification of a Woman, with its somewhat cheesy production values—despite the fact that Carlo DiPalma, the gifted cinematographer of Antonioni’s early work and several Woody Allen films, is the director of photography, it’s hard to believe that the same man directed both films.
Framed at the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1, this 1080p transfer is a solid one. Detail is strong and blacks are exceedingly inky. Colors are quite accurate, treating both flesh tones and deeper hues with precision and clarity. Grain is handled very well here, giving the proceedings a very nice filmic glow.
The LCPM mono mix here captures the film perfectly. Dialogue is audible throughout; moody atmospherics come through nicely, and while there is a definite tinniness to much of the soundscape, that’s likely due to production restraints and recording realities of the time, not a lack of finesse with this transfer.
English SDH subtitles are included.
There isn’t much in the way of special features here:
- Theatrical Trailer (3:50, 1080p)
- Booklet: At 29 pages, the booklet contains the chapter listing, the cast and crew lists, some stills from the film, film critic John Powers’ celebration of the movie, and a 1982 magazine interview with director Antonioni conducted by critic Gideon Bachmann.
