Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man

Well acted by Ugo Tognanzzi as a self made cheese factory owner whose son is apparently kidnapped, although we can see there's a real possibility the kidnapping was staged so the son could raise money for left-wing causes he supports. Most of the film is about Tognazzi dealing with the kidnapping by pondering selling his factory, and getting to know two go betweens who may or may not have there own agendas (the son's girlfriend, and a leftist sort-of priest), as well as dealing with his wife, Anouk Aimee, who is far more anxious to sell everything they own to pay the kidnappers than the more cynical and wily Tognazzi.

What was hard for me was that, unlike it's spiritual forerunner "The Spider's Strategem", the more satirical, lighter-toned edge seems to work against the drama and vice versa. None-the- less this is interesting and thought provoking. And if not among Bertolucci's greatest works, still well worth seeing.