Conversation Piece: Luchino Visconti’s chamber piece tells the story of a semi-recluse professor who sees his life upturned when a wealthy woman convinces him to rent her the upstairs apartment, where she intends to install her young lover as well as her teenage daughter. Ostensibly a curmudgeon, but too much old-school politeness transforms the protagonist into a bit of a softie; the character is effectively and quietly played by Burt Lancaster. Helmut Berger plays the lover, also a surprisingly deep and insightful young man on occasion, in another fine performance. Silvana Mangano and Claudia Marsani play the pushy mother and daughter. Cinematographer Pasqualino De Santis’s camerawork is conventional yet elegant, capturing the luxurious apartments (designed by production designer Mario Garbuglia) and the distinctive costumes (designed by Vera Marzot) beautifully. Editor Ruggero Mastroianni gives the film a nice pace, and the many conversations are quite interesting to listen to.