The Wastrel 1961

The Wastrel 1961

The Wastrel 1961
Il relitto (original title)
1h 24min | Drama | 24 February 1961 (Italy)

Storyline:

Duncan Bell (Van Heflin) is a wealthy man who sets out to sail around the globe with his son. Traveling in Bell’s yacht, the two ambitious sailors face a perilous situation when an accident causes the boat to explode, throwing them both into the sea, with only debris to keep them afloat. While they drift on the ocean, Bell thinks back on his troubled life, particularly on how his alcohol problem has damaged his relationship with his wife, Liana (Ellie Lambeti)

User review:

Part psychological drama, part adventures, this Cacoyannis movie belongs to the first part of his career ,before he hit the big time with his famous “Zorba the Greek”.

A man (Van HEFLIN , it’s quite surprising to see him in this Italy/Cyprus co-production) whose marriage is on the rocks, sets out for a little sail (and not around the globe as the storyline reads)on a simple motorboat (and not on a yacht ,as the storyline claims) which explodes :hence the title “IL relitto” = the wreck .

This wreck of course is symbolic and it may seem a bit ponderous: the wreck of the boat parallels that of the marriage .

After the wreckage, with only debris to keep them afloat ,father and son are going to struggle for their life in the middle of the sea :today ,this subject has become a favorite for fans of suspenseful movies ,but Cacoyannis’ treatment is first psychological drama .

The scenes of these two unfortunate shipwrecked persons are interspersed with many flashbacks which show the last quarrel between this wealthy alcoholic with his wife (Ellie Lambetti) wooed by a handsome man (Fabrizio Fabrizi).

Although this treatment may seem pretty original ,it actually throws the film off balance : these scenes from the past begin to drag on after a while ,and are finally quite derivative .On the contrary , when the director comes back to his heroes lost at sea, he makes his work a winner : pictures of the mother which appear and disappear beneath the waves gives the movie an eerie touch ;moreover, Van Heflin is excellent (apart from the child, the other actors are indifferent) as this father, hoping against hope, comforting his terrified son, realizing that his life itself has been a long wreckage . You should watch it for him.

Director: Michael Cacoyannis
Writers: Michael Cacoyannis, Suso Cecchi D’Amico (adaptation), Frederic Wakeman (novel)
Stars: Ellie Lambeti, Van Heflin, Franco Fabrizi
Countries of origin: Italy, Cyprus
Language: English