Identification of a Woman (1982)

Inspiring Actress

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Identification of a Woman on DVD (Region 0, PAL)

Identification of a Woman (1982, Facets Multimedia, $79.95) comes closer to classic Antonioni, than does his previous feature The Mystery of Oberwald (1981). Tomas Milian stars as Niccolo, a film director searching for the perfect actress for his next film. He begins relationships with two women and can't seem to find a handle on what he's looking for. The film abounds with physical manifestations of this confusion, from Niccolo setting the alarm off in his own apartment in the film's opening scene, to the stunning sequence where Niccolo and Mavi (Daniela Silverio) drive through the fog. They argue and she gets out of the car, but Niccolo can't find her again. One amazing shot has a giant truck suddenly emerging from the fog like a ghost. Antonioni shows plenty of sex scenes between Niccolo and his girlfriend of the moment, but they're purposely done to look stylish and cold, rather than hot and sweaty. Niccolo is not the warmest and friendliest of protagonists; part of the reason he can't find what he needs is that he's so closed up and abrasive, which also makes him interesting. Identification of a Woman is not an easy film, but it's a most welcome addition to Antonioni's canon.

Starring: Tomas Milian, Daniela Silverio, Christine Boisson, Lara Wendel, Veronica Lazar, Enrica Fico, Sandra Monteleoni, Marcel Bozzuffi, Gianpaolo Saccarola, Arianna De Rosa, Alessandro Ruspoli, Carlos Alberto Valles, Sergio Tardioli, Itaco Nardulli, Paola Dominguin, Pier Francesco Aiello, Giada Gerini, Luisa Della Noce, Stefania D'Amario
Written by: Michelangelo Antonioni, Gerard Brach, Tonino Guerra
Directed by: Michelangelo Antonioni
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Language: Italian with English subtitles
Running Time: 131 minutes
Date: May 4, 2001