The Innocent

The Innocent is a 1976 Italian-French drama directed by Luchino Visconti, adapted from Gabriele D'Annunzio's 1892 novel of the same name. Set in late nineteenth-century Rome, it follows Tullio Hermil, an aristocratic intellectual who carries on openly with his mistress Teresa Raffo while keeping his wife Giuliana at a distance. When Giuliana, neglected and isolated, finds comfort with a young writer and becomes pregnant, Tullio's indifference turns to jealousy and a renewed, possessive passion. What follows is a struggle over paternity, reputation and the codes of a rigid bourgeois society, one that the film treats as a forerunner of later political currents.

Giancarlo Giannini plays Tullio, with Laura Antonelli as Giuliana; Rina Morelli, Massimo Girotti, Didier Haudepin and Marie Dubois appear in supporting roles. Visconti directed the film as the fifteenth of fifteen features in his career, following Conversation Piece in 1974. Suso Cecchi d'Amico and Enrico Medioli co-wrote the screenplay with him, and the production involved Italian and French companies including Rizzoli Film.

Released in May 1976, the film took about six million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 7.4 out of 10 from roughly 4,800 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.9 from a much smaller pool of 129 votes. A critics' rating of 7.8 from 19 reviews places it slightly above both audience scores.