Overview
A passionate love story unfolds amidst the chaos of war and political strife in 19th century Italy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- operatic
- melancholic
- lush
- classic cinema night
- historical drama marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Visconti's historical romance as a visually magnificent, emotionally powerful landmark of Italian cinema, distinguished by its period reconstruction and cinematography.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Livia Serpieri's affair with Franz Mahler unfolds during the 1866 struggle against Austrian occupation in Venice.
The love affair, infidelity, and betrayal are presented with the heightened force of opera and tragic melodrama.
Visconti's richly composed Venice and period interiors combine picturesque beauty with the documentary rigor praised by André Bazin.
An Italian countess falls for an Austrian lieutenant while anti-Austrian resistance intensifies around them.
Films like Senso, and why
The Leopard
lavish historical romance shaped by political upheaval, adulterous desire, and tragic emotional intensity
The Age of Innocence
ornate period melodrama combining forbidden love, social constraint, and meticulously composed historical settings
The Earrings of Madame de...
tragic romantic drama in which private passion collides with class structures and national conflict
Movie Details
- Director
- Luchino Visconti
- Release Date
- 1954-03-25
- Runtime
- 123 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (256)
Cast
- Farley Granger
- Alida Valli
- Massimo Girotti
- Heinz Moog
- Rina Morelli
- Christian Marquand
- Sergio Fantoni
- Tino Bianchi
- Ernst Nadherny
- Tonio Selwart
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Senso about?
- In occupied Venice, a countess’s consuming affair with an Austrian lieutenant turns political resistance and aristocratic privilege into an operatic tragedy.
- What is Senso like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Senso as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Senso violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Senso as moderate.
- What did critics think of Senso?
- Critics broadly regard Visconti's historical romance as a visually magnificent, emotionally powerful landmark of Italian cinema, distinguished by its period reconstruction and cinematography.
- Which films are like Senso?
- Films with a similar feel include The Leopard, The Age of Innocence, and The Earrings of Madame de....
- How long is Senso?
- Senso runs 123 minutes.
- Where can I watch Senso?
- In United States, Senso streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
