Journey to Italy (1954)

Married for eight years yet childless, Katherine and Alex Joyce, a sophisticated British couple, embark on a journey to Italy to sell a villa they've inherited on the outskirts of Naples. As they navigate through the scenic routes of Italy, they confront the unsettling reality that this trip is the first time they've truly been alone together, exposing unfamiliar facets of their relationship and revealing that they are, in fact, strangers to each other. Luxury and wealth cloak the Joyces in a cool aloofness, but beneath it, Naples weaves an intricate tapestry of tension between them. Katherine, drawn to culture and the arts, finds herself reminiscing about a poet who once loved her, his memory casting a haunting shadow over her loveless marriage. As she delves into Naples' fascination with the past, touring expansive museums and the ancient ruins of Pompeii, she observes the stark contrast between the city's vibrant life and her own barren existence. Meanwhile, Alex, prone to seeking company outside his marriage, flirts with temptation on the sun-drenched isle of Capri. Even as he teeters on the edge of infidelity, he remains ensnared in a dance of sarcasm and criticism with his wife. Their shared time is tainted with bitterness, each seeking to wound the other emotionally, their interactions a battleground of unspoken resentments and accusations. As the Italian landscape unfolds around them, so does the disintegration of their marriage, the threat of divorce looming over their heads like a storm cloud. In the midst of the turmoil, the lingering question is whether the enchanting, yet unforgiving Italian backdrop can spark insight or provide a pathway to mend what's broken, or if the Joyces will forever remain Mr. and Mrs. in name only. Will this foreign land hold the potential to salvage their crumbling relationship, or will it merely echo the hollow emptiness of their union?

Journey to Italy is a drama movie featuring Ingrid Bergman and directed by Roberto Rossellini.

Journey to Italy is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy and it's also available on Criterion Channel and Max Amazon Channel.

It is also possible to buy Journey to Italy on Amazon Video and Apple TV.