The Italian film Profumo di donna (Scent of a Woman) may share its title and basic premise with the 1992 remake starring Al Pacino, but the two films diverge in significant ways. Unlike the sanitized American version, there’s no flashy courtroom scene, no one speeds through the streets in a Ferrari, and no one dances tango. Dino Risi’s film instead offers a raw portrayal of its deeply flawed protagonist, a blind, irascible, and insufferable misogynist.
Set against the sun-soaked backdrops of Turin, Rome, and Naples, the story follows an army cadet who accompanies the blind captain, Fausto, on a week-long trip. The film does well to condemn Fausto’s objectification of women rather than indulge it, unlike its remake, which seems to revel in Pacino’s charismatic charm. But the experience of watching Fausto ill-treat women without facing significant consequences makes the film difficult to sit through.
While the heart of the remake lies in the bond between the older man and his younger assistant, Scent of a Woman gives us a much more passive cadet in Alessandro Momo’s Giovanni. Giovanni is more of a bystander than a character, simply observing Fausto’s misogynistic antics, and his narration and lack of personality add very little to the film. Once Fausto’s love interest, Sara (Agostina Belli), enters the picture, their relationship overshadows any dynamic between the captain and Giovanni, leaving the cadet feeling even more like a footnote.
Risi’s direction captures the beauty of Italy, and the film’s score is pleasant enough, but the unpleasantness of Fausto’s character overshadows these highlights. One scene, where Fausto invades a bedroom with three naked women, is especially uncomfortable. And his age gap with Sara doesn’t help either. By the end, though the film touches on his regrets, it’s hard to feel any real satisfaction, as Fausto doesn’t face the repercussions his actions warrant.
While Gassman’s performance is strong, Scent of a Woman struggles under the weight of its unlikable protagonist. Watching Fausto’s blatant misogyny for nearly two hours without him being held accountable leaves the film feeling both dated and unpleasant.
- Where to watch
- Not available for streaming
- Where to watch
- Not available for streaming
Play trailer
- Original title
- Profumo di donna
- Director
- Dino Risi
- Cast
- Vittorio Gassman, Alessandro Momo, Agostina Belli, Moira Orfei, Franco Ricci, Elena Veronese, Lorenzo Piani, Stefania Spugnini
- Rated
- R
- Screenwriter
- Dino Risi, Ruggero Maccari
- Composer
- Armando Trovajoli
- Cinematography
- Claudio Cirillo
- Editor
- Alberto Gallitti
- Country
- Language
- Italian
- Budget
- $31 million
- Box office
- $134.1 million