Interesting but uneven feature debut from director Bernardo Bertolucci. A brilliant story concept (devised by Pier Paolo Pasolini), but Bertolucci’s languid pacing tempers much of the tension and suspense. Some novel camerawork and cinematography make for a handful of memorable images and effective moments, but the performances are uneven and it lacks an overall energy that makes it less compelling than it should be. More interesting than it is good.
