One of Rossellini's history films, he seems more interested in communicating ideas rather than narrative. This certainly creates a unique context and forces engagement through the intellectual more than the experiential. The camera moves beautifully here, often highlighting certain objects or even tensions between people based on its placement and movement. Rossellini also makes only limited use of the close-up, making those few shots more evocative in the overall scheme of the film.

I've been trying to find a Rossellini I would have no reservations from enjoying and this would be it - the cast is solid, music/subtext is haunting,, & camera work is restrained but appropriate. The tragic arc acquired from Pascal gives this a dramatic weight few films in this auteur's present stage had but it never loses sight of the matters of importance, Pascal's work, with a cloud of harsh religious practices obscuring everything within his family and life. Expertly crafted in every detail.