A Simple Heart (Italian: Un cuore semplice) is a 1977 Italian drama film directed by Giorgio Ferrara, in his directorial debut. It was screened at the 30th Cannes Film Festival.
Contents
Cast
Adriana Asti as Félicité
Joe Dallesandro as Théodore
Tina Aumont as Virginie
Alida Valli as Mathilde Aubain
Alberto Asti as Paolo
Ugo Bologna as the doctor
Elvira Cortese as Simona
Laura De Marchi as Félicité's sister
Carlo De Mejo as adult Paolo
Antonio Falsi as Eugerol
Mario Maranzana as the lawyer
Leonardo Treviglio as the coach
Loris Zanchi as the fisherman
Jole Silvani
Production
The film is an adaptation of Gustave Flaubert's short story with the same name. In the years prior, Vittorio De Sica made several attempts to make his own adaptation of the story. It was produced by Cooperativa Nashira with FilmCoop.
Release
The film was screened out of competition at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival.
Reception
The film was a box office disappointment. A contemporary Variety review described it as a "beautifully limned, porcelain-fine film" and "a superb piece of filmmaking". A Corriere della Sera review called it "more a careful transcription than a reinvention of Flaubert", distinguished by "its passionate seriousness, deep respect for the realist tradition, [...] and meticulous attention to period detail".
For this film Giorgio Ferrara won a special David di Donatello and a Nastro d'Argento for Best New Director.