Il Vedovo Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Il Vedovo Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 18, 2024

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Radiance's Commedia all'italiana: Three Films by Dino Risi set.

Any film fan worth his or her salt would probably respond with a near instant "Neorealism!" if asked to name a post-World War II genre in Italian cinema. What came next is the focus of a really appealing three film set from Radiance, which further serves as a trio of examples of the wide ranging if kind of weirdly lesser remembered work of Dino Risi. Supplements on the three discs in this set offer a primer of sorts for those unacquainted with either/both neorealismo rosa (i.e., "Pink Neorealism") or/and commedia all'italiana (i.e., "Italian style comedy"), and provide some really interesting context of what Italy was going through both overtly and perhaps on a subliminal level as it dug itself out from the horrors of Fascism and the devastating effects of a global conflict where it initially at least played a central part in hostilities. The "transition" from neorealismo rosa to commedia all'italiana was perhaps not "cut and dried", and so the three Risi films may at various times reflect different aspects of both of these perceived genres, but all three stories offer some trenchant observations about Italian culture and its basic socioeconomic framework in the late fifties to early sixties, and two of the three films offer showcases for Vittorio Gassman, who was, as one supplement included in this set gets into, suddenly an "overnight sensation" as a frequently buffoonish comedy performer after having earned plaudits for much more serious stage and film work, including celebrated performances in plays by Shakespeare.

Kind of like was the custom with certain sitcom outings on this side of the pond, lead actor Alberto Sordi portrays a character with the similar name Alberto Nardi in Il Vedovo, a film whose title alludes to the fact that Nardi is (supposedly) a widower. As is discussed in some of the supplements included in Radiance's Risi set, while perhaps not entirely at front of mind for Risi and his collaborators, the socioeconomic condition of a post-World War II Italy certainly enters the fray in many commedia all'italiana outings, including the three in this set, and perhaps arguably most overtly in this particular opus, which sees Nardi, a businessman forever on the verge of going out of business, suddenly feeling his oats, albeit in rather peculiar circumstances, after he believes his wife Elvira (Franca Valeri, whose surname is an anagram of her character's name) has been killed and he's inherited a fortune.

When Elvira turns out to be "not quite dead yet", so to speak, Nardi hatches an insane plan that involves others in an attempt to get Elvira "dealt with", which of course then leads to karmic repercussions. Il Vedovo may frankly not be laugh out loud hilarious, but it's rather darkly (maybe even bleakly) comedic, and Sordi is perfection as a really kind of loathsome character whose wife's approbation seems entirely (or at least mostly) deserved.

Il Vedovo Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Il Vedovo is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.70:1. This is the one film in Radiance's Risi set that does not include prefatory text cards offering information on restorations, though Radiance's insert booklet states this "was scanned in 2K from fine grain lavender print and restored by Studio Cine, Rome". One way or the other, this is a great looking transfer that may not quite reach the lustrous heights of Il Sorpasso, but which in its own way offers the same general excellence that Il Mattatore does, and arguably without some of the admittedly minor passing deficits of that presentation. Contrast is solid, and gray scale nicely modulated, with detail levels offered with consistent precision throughout. Kind of interestingly, while all three films don't shy away from dissolves (and even some other techniques like wipes), this film along with its siblings in this set has a number of extended takes, where even with people moving to and fro in the frame, fine detail on things like costume fabrics remain secure. Grain resolves naturally throughout.

Il Vedovo Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Il Vedovo features an LPCM 2.0 Mono track in the original Italian. Kind of interestingly, the film begins with no music and instead the first sounds emanating are footsteps, an effect that is kind of comically loud and one which is actually repeated later in the film. The entire track is pretty boxy sounding, something it shares with the two other soundtracks in this set, but this film is arguably the most obviously post looped, as was of course the custom in Italian films, meaning that synch isn't merely "loose", as they say, it's almost hilariously slack at times. That said, all dialogue (however and/or whenever recorded) is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Il Vedovo Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Comedy Italian Style (HD; 18:14) is an informative visual essay by Remi Fournier Lanzoni which offers an interesting overview of Italy's transition from Neorealism to Comedy Italian Style. This comes with spoiler warnings for all three films in Radiance's Risi set.


• Kat Ellinger (HD; 34:10) offers a visual essay devoted to Alberto Sordi.


• Trailer (HD; 4:14)

Il Vedovo Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Il Vedovo may frankly not pass muster with contemporary "PC police" types (something it shares with Il Sorpasso in particular), but it's darkly effective, if never quite as "dangerously" comic as it seems to think it is. Sordi is really incredibly memorable as a rather repugnant character. Technical merits are generally solid, and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.