"GIl indifferenti" ("Time of Indifference") is an Italian film with a cast mostly made up of American actors. Tomas Milian is an unknown Cuban-American actor, but the studio must have shelled out some money to secure the talents of Oscar-winner Shelley Winters, soon to be Oscar-winner Rod Steiger, and Paulette Goddard. The only non-American is the lovely Claudia Cardinale.
This film is NOT for everyone. In fact, I think MOST viewers would end up turning off the movie after a while since it is so very stark and slow. Additionally, the story just isn't pleasant in any way.
When the story begins, court officials arrive to catalog the furniture in the Contessa's mansion. But the Contessa (Paulette Goddard) claims to have no idea why they are there and she tries to throw them out. However, she's broke and soon she'll lose everything unless something miraculous occurs. The closest thing to this 'miracle' is Leo (Steiger), a rich but evil man. He claims to be in love with the Contessa, though on the side he is having a sexual relationship with her daughter, Carla. You assume he only pretends to be in love with the Contessa because he likes the notion of marrying a woman with a title. The son, Michele (Milian), he realizes what is happening and vacillates between anger and ambivalence. Lisa (Winters) is a family friend who just seems to be there. All of them, in various ways, are living in a voluntary hell and the question is, by the end of the movie will they have left or resigned themselves to their fates?
This movie is the epitome of the notion of a slow, artsy film. While it is well made, it's so slow and unpleasant I really wonder why they made it in the first place...as I really cannot imagine anyone really enjoying this character study. Well acted...and unpleasant.
