What can we expect from a great comedy? Here’s a suggestion: to have all the problems of the world thrown at us, yet to walk out of the theatre in a better mood. If we can agree on this, then La maschera e il volto is indeed a great comedy.

Based on Henrik Ibsen's play from 1890-

In La morte che assolve, we see Elextra Ragio in two roles: Maddalena, a mother repudiated by her cruel husband Falco, a professional loan shark, and their daughter Erica, who is adopted by an American lady. As an adult, Erica is subjected to the advances of Count Giancarlo, who had once saved her life, and has to face a distressing encounter with the father who abandoned her. Melodrama brings out...