Director: Basil Dearden
Screenplay: Robert Muller and Stanley Mann
From the novel by: Catherine Arley
Starring: Gina Lollobrigida, Sean Connery, Ralph Richardson, Johnny Sekka, Laurence Hardy, Danny Daniels, A.J. Brown, Peter Madden, Alexander Knox
Country: United Kingdom
Running Time: 117 min
Year: 1964
BBFC Rating: 12
Director Basil Dearden is perhaps best known for a run of excellent and timeless Ealing Studios films, including The Captive Heart, The Blue Lamp, and the linking narrative and ‘Hearse Driver’ segments of influential horror portmanteau film Dead of Night.
He also made a number of other very interesting films, including several with James Bond actors – Roger Moore in The Man Who Haunted Himself, which was released by ViaVision on their Imprint label, on a disc which you can read my review of here; and Sean Connery in Woman of Straw, which has also been released on limited edition Blu-ray by ViaVision on their Imprint label, on a disc which is the subject of this review.
Woman of Straw is a British crime thriller adapted from a 1954 novel called La Femme de paille by Catherine Arley. The plot sees ruthless tycoon Charles Richmond (Ralph Richardson) leave his nephew Tony (Sean Connery) out of his will. Charles has hired an Italian nurse called Maria (Gina Lollobrigida) to look after him. Tony and Maria concoct a plan to get their hands on Charles’s fortune, but the tycoon suddenly dies aboard a ship under mysterious circumstances.
The first half of the film helps us get to know the characters, hear their backstory and watch as Tony persuades Maria to seduce and marry Charles to try to get his inheritance. Then, Charles dies on a ship before the inheritance is signed off back in England. What follows are Maria and Tony’s efforts to get the will signed off before anyone realises Charles is dead, but before too long a murder investigation ensues.
Woman of Straw is a truly remarkable film which is gripping from start to finish thanks to an engrossing story, sizzling script, first-class acting and a production where everything comes together to create a classic. The cast is uniformly excellent, from Lollobrigida, who gives a tour de force performance, to Richardson, who is particularly nasty as the ruthless tycoon who starts to grow a heart when he falls in love with Maria. Both are marvellous performances, particularly Lollobrigida in the second half of the film once Charles dies as she is racked by guilt and showcases a range of emotions.
Connery is also excellent as the conniving nephew who, despite his villainous ways, comes off a bit James Bond-esque, probably due to the actor and some of the suits he wears, which 007 would have been at home in. The film was released, together with Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie and The Hill, between James Bond movies number three, Goldfinger, and four, Thunderball.
The script is fantastic and contains some cracking sequences of dialogue and a lot told through words rather than what we see, particularly filling us in on characters we never meet such as the wife of Charles and the father of Tony. There are many standout scenes, from a man going overboard on a ship during a stormy night, to a bravura final act.
Woman of Straw features some wonderful cinematography throughout, and some excellent tracking shots, all of which shows off the beautiful locations, and fantastic production design by Ken Adam, well known for his amazing sets for the James Bond films and Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove amongst others. Special mention for that production design – Charles’s house in particular is a masterpiece of design and, as the film historians who feature on the commentary rightly point out, would be right at home in the TV series Downton Abbey.
In short, I loved Woman of Straw. It’s a fabulous film, thanks to a corking script. It’s well paced, thoroughly gripping throughout and features three first-class central performances, outstanding production design and beautiful cinematography. It’s meticulously plotted and really ratchets up the tension throughout, building to a fantastic finale.
Film: 
Woman of Straw is released by ViaVision as number 348 on their Imprint label. The limited edition release contains a transfer that is showing its age with blemishes and print damage throughout, particularly noticeable during the opening titles and early scenes. There are several particularly damaged elements in the second half. The film would have benefited from a full restoration. The audio is fine overall but again shows its age with some crackles.
Special Features & Technical Specs:
1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
Audio Commentary by film historians Lee Pfeiffer, Tony Latino and Paul Scrabo (2024)
A Touch of Class: Gina Lollobrigida and ‘Woman of Straw’ – Video Essay by Kat Ellinger (2024)
Man of Props – Interview with propman Dickie Bamber (2024)
Photo Gallery
Audio English LPCM 2.0 Mono
Original Aspect Ratio 1.66:1
Optional English HOH Subtitles
Limited Edition Slipcase
Miniature reproduction of the original pressbook
Film historians Lee Pfeiffer, Tony Latino and Paul Scrabo speak lovingly about the film in their commentary, hailing it as underappreciated and providing a large amount of information. They share how Ralph Richardson was Sean Connery’s favourite actor, which was why he appeared in the film. We hear about the production design, locations, music, and lack of success of the film (and Marnie) at the box office; Connery was hoping for a non-Bond hit but neither connected with audiences at the time. It’s the standout extra on the release and well worth a listen, as it’s rich with insight and detail.
Kat Ellinger’s video essay is also strong and gives a good overview of Lollobrigida’s career before looking at the themes, characters and plot of Woman of Straw. As is to be expected with Ellinger, there’s plenty of insightful analysis and it’s well delivered. The essay is 15 minutes well spent.
Man of Props is a decent 11 minute interview with propman Dickie Bamber, who shares a fair few recollections from the making of the film in an easy to listen to way.
The photo gallery contains around 60 images including stills, lobby cards and other paraphernalia.
The miniature reproduction of the original pressbook is a neat addition. It contains a variety of marketing materials including stills, tie-ins, advert blocks, and articles.
Woman of Straw is a fantastic film, with rich performances and a heck of a script. ViaVision’s new edition contains a dated transfer which shows its age and is full of blemishes, but the release features gorgeous artwork and a slim but well formed selection of extras, headlined by a cracking commentary and great video essay.
Disc/Package: 
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