Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

lasttimeisaw One of Cardinale's defining work in her early career, GIRL WITH A SUITCASE is director Zurlini's second feature, an eye-pleasing Black-and-White melodrama centres on the dead-end obsession, which a young rich boy Lorenzo (Perrin) projects on Aida (Cardinale), a penniless nightclub showgirl, who has been dumped by his elder brother Marcello (Pani).In the movie, Lorenzo is a 16-year-older, having barely arrived puberty, Aida is his first crush, which symbolises the most innocent and pure affection a boy must experience once-in-a-lifetime, propelled by unquenchable impulse, he is willing to do anything for her, and will surely swallow the bitter taste since their relationship can bear no fruition, the age barrier, the class disparity, all appear too formidable for Lorenzo to overcome, and Lorenzo is so good-natured and is too obedient to rebel against the unfair and prejudiced society. When we are young, we might meet the right person in the wrong time, maybe this is what Zurlini wants us to ruminate on.But more relevant to contemporary audience, the film tends to be preferably reckoned as a strong showcase for Cardinale, debatably the very first one for her to stretch her limit as an actress in spite of her drop-dead sex appeal. Also later it reveals that Aida has been entering motherhood in a fairly early age, which mirrors Cardinale's own turbulent personal life of being a mother at the age of 19. Her Aida is a sultry damsel-in-distress, but the reality offers her no prince-charming, only leery chancers want to physically overtake her, in a critical point, she has no alternative other than agreeing to prostitute herself, we should feel empathetic to her, but that feeling is not well- sustained, since Aida is clearly aware of Lorenzo's blind fixation, and she has no qualms to cash in on it, and being brutally honest about their doomed future. The script dangles sluggishly in the cul-de-sac, to an extent of being patience-testingly sentimental, the two-handers between Cardinale and Perrin often oscillate between generic theatrics and amateurish spontaneity sans scintillating chemistry, which inadequately sets the tenor in a lukewarm limbo.On the plus side, the film occasionally coruscates with its dashing panning camera movements, indicates that DP Santoni is a master-hand behind it; also the soundtrack is a winsome collage of classic pieces frequently played with harpsichord, builds up a solemn mood for the harsh reality where money becomes the only opt-out for something intrinsically superior to all the material concerns.

CelluloidDog Underrated and little known to the Hollywood mainstream, this is an oft-told unrequited story of a boy falling in love with a woman. Jacques Perrin plays Lorenzo a wealthy boy of about 16 years old falling in love with a poor, nomadic not-so-successful showgirl named Aida, played by Claudia Cardinale. Lorenzo becomes Aida's patron and guardian of sorts, looking after her as Aida doesn't fully appreciate the boy's attention and kindness until the end. Instead we see her gravitate towards men who promise her a job and attention, which many men will do to a beautiful girl. But they don't give her kindness but instead break promises. Aida thinks fondly of Jacques as help but like many girls, she thinks of it as that and simply friendship to be repaid. Lorenzo is the only person who treats her with dignity. At what point does she realize he loves her if she does? (But then I can't give you spoilers). It's a old-fashion romantic story without sex and romance. Just reality.Often mentioned as CC's first vehicle, this was actually her 15th film at a young age of only 22 when it was made. Jacques went on to a fairly successful film career which included Z and Cinema Paradiso and Claudia has had one of the longest film careers of any leading lady (over 50 years of consistently making films). Most of Claudia's movies are neorealist, dramatic roles suitable for arthouses and auteurs, rather the popular box-office hits. This film is not much different from her other films in how it approaches a love story from a neorealist view.Valerio Zurlini directs with simple taste, nothing fancy and uses simple sets to tell his story. Zurlini made few films but this is his gift for us, his masterpiece. With cinematographer Tino Santoni, the two crafted a beautiful black-and-white story highlighted by the two lead actors. Three scenes represent their skills best, namely: the scene on the swing as Aida sings to Lorenzo after they separate from the party. He gently puts her hand on hers and as he does, she never notices and we don't see the hand until we see her eyes and expression. Then the camera slowly pans down to their hands as she stops singing. That scene was simply brilliantly directed and acted. The second was the long beach scene, one of the finest and most touching in (Italian) cinema history. It was long silent scene of the two on the beach at dusk. Starting not romantic but as she tends to his cuts, they stare at each other and the camera and lighting was simply beautiful for the two young faces. In today's quick catchy, witty dialogues, we forget acting is the eyes and face. That scene and the final scene (if I wrote the details, it would be a spoiler, no?) at the train station were tributes to Italian chiaroscuro and Caravaggio, the art of dark and light. Like many Italian films, this film ends with a slight melancholic feel and without Hollywood closure.Claudia Cardinale is incredibly sexy and beautiful with little make-up and simple attires. It's amazing that she rarely dresses glamorously in her movies but still manages to show her beauty. She and Jacques give great performances. Compared to Sophia Loren or Gina Lollabrigida, Cardinale is a slightly better actress but many of her best roles were never mainstream Hollywood (and she didn't have that "English" accent Loren was able to master). She acts with her eyes, facial expressions and gestures extremely well.This was named one of the Ten Best Movies of the Year by the New York Times and also made their 1000 Best Films list. Girl with a Suitcase (La ragazza con la valigia) is still occasionally shown in arthouses and museums today.Similar films are Summer of 42 which is nostalgic 7/10, and more favorably I'd compare and recommend two other foreign films, Baran (French-Iranian) and Malena (Italian). I'd give Baran a 9/10 also which has incredibly beautiful scenes in a neorealist flair. The cinematography by Mohammad Davudi in that film directed by Majid Majidi is brilliant. Like Girl With a Suitcase, the plot is simply but the film is brilliant. Malena is cute, funny and touching with beautiful Monica Bellucci but simply not as good (7.5/10).

Jep_Gambardella ... the one where Lorenzo watches Aida dancing with that older man. She was supposed to go to the movies with him but she chose to have dinner with a group of other guests at the hotel, and after dinner they start partying and dancing. At one point there is a close-up of Lorenzo that lasts for at least one minute. He looks at them dancing, looks away, takes a sip from his drink, fidgets, with all these different expressions on his face: jealousy, frustration, anger, discomfort, despair. No dialogue. Wonderfully acted and directed. That scene is worth more than all car chase sequences since the beginning of Cinema put together.

Aw-komon This somewhat mediocre and meandering melodramatic film by Zurlini features Claudia Cardinale at her most exquisitely beautiful in every shot and what shots! Beautiful long takes that allow you to concentrate on whatever you want. Tino Santoni is a hell of cinematographer, whoever he was, a total master. If the script had been a little bit better the film might've ended up transcending into a superpoetic realm like Zurlini's awesome technicolor 1962 film "Family Diary"; as it is, it's very much a failure in an overall sense but still pretty good as probably the ultimate ode to one of the most beautiful actresses in cinematic history.