The Grim Reaper (La Commare Secca) (1962) - DVD

Prev Next

The murder of a prostitute by the banks of the Tiber River reveals a miasma of corruption in the lower reaches of Roman society. The police gather suspects and witnesses present near the scene of the crime. Each of them presents their perspective on the events which transpired on the night of the murder; each interview interspersed with flashbacks to the life of the prostitute on the day of her death. The murder investigation gradually transforms into an exploration of class tension and sexual repression in Italian society.

Bernardo Bertolucci made The Grim Reaper, his first feature, at the age of 21 adapting a screenplay written by his mentor Pier Paolo Pasolini. Belying his youth, this film reveals an artist fully in command of his craft and features the lyrical elegance that would characterize such later masterworks as The Conformist and Last Tango in Paris.

A very young Bernardo Bertolucci already shows his talent in this bleak, 84-minute murder mystery -- All Movie Guide

La Commare Secca is vivid proof of his ability to generate genuine tension in a classic whodunit -- New York Times

1962

88 minutes

Italian with English subtitles

Mono audio

1.33 : 1 Black & White

DVD PAL Multi Region

Add to Wishlist Buy +

Cast & Crew

The murder of a prostitute by the banks of the Tiber River reveals a miasma of corruption in the lower reaches of Roman society. The police gather suspects and witnesses present near the scene of the crime. Each of them presents their perspective on the events which transpired on the night of the murder; each interview interspersed with flashbacks to the life of the prostitute on the day of her death. The murder investigation gradually transforms into an exploration of class tension and sexual repression in Italian society.