The Visit (1964)

A small impoverished town in Eastern Europe is anxiously awaiting the return of their prodigal daughter (Ingrid Bergman), who left the town penniless and pregnant but is returning as the world's wealthiest woman. The town hopes that Bergman will aid them financially and when she returns she agrees to give the town two million dollars ... on one condition. They execute the man (Anthony Quinn) who wronged her! Based on the play DER BESUCH DER ALTEN DAME by Friedrich Durrenmatt via its English incarnation adapted by Maurice Valency (it starred Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt) and directed by Bernhard Wicki (THE BRIDGE). The film, while effective, considerably diminishes the play's impact by eliminating much of the black humor and watering down the play's nihilistic ending. But it still manages to convey the horror of, what on the surface, appears a decent small town morphing into a hotbed of fascist justice. Bergman is marvelous. Tightly wound up and ready to jump out of her skin, she seems to relish playing the scorned woman avenging her wrong. Bergman's elegant Rene Hubert costumes received an Oscar nomination and the minimal score is by Richard Arnell and Hans Martin Majewski. With Valentina Cortese, Irina Demick, Claude Dauphin, Romolo Valli, Paolo Stoppa, Hans Christian Blech and Eduardo Ciannelli.