Easy on the eye, if not the ear (note the ghastly English dubbed version) this is an arch and mannered filming of Mann’s novella – stretched to snapping point by repeatedly drowning in soporific longeurs dedicated to Mahler’s music and with little to say on the key themes of lust, regret and death. Instead, it’s a rather waxy affair overstuffed with rustling costumes and object d’art adding to the deadweight of stiltedness.

Bogarde tries too hard and ends up down his usual camp blind alley: all raised eyebrows and twitching lips.