It’s possible my mood at the time affected my perception of this film, because something about it just didn't quite connect. Luca Marinelli portrays the central figure, focused on escaping a difficult background. His chance arises when he saves a boy called "Arturo" from local toughs, and during an invitation to Arturo’s family’s affluent home—a thank you meal—he encounters “Elena” (Jessica Cressy), and experiences instant attraction. Driven by a desire for further advancement, he aligns himself with the well-known, though somewhat decadent, socialist "Brissenden" (Carlo Cecchi). While his newfound success fulfills his ambition for wealth and self-betterment, it also creates complications on his journey to finding true love. The film is undeniably visually striking—the combination of color and black-and-white cinematography is effective, and the musical score enhances the dialogue and conveys feelings of longing, frustration, and perhaps even peril as the protagonist’s increasingly successful, politically charged work generates opposition from colleagues and officialdom. For me, it spends a little too much time exploring the inner thoughts of a man I didn't find particularly compelling; and as is often the case with movies centered on a single individual, maintaining interest becomes challenging if you don’t feel invested in that person. It wasn’t boring exactly, but neither was it truly good either. Maybe repeated viewings would change my mind, though I doubt I’ll make an effort to revisit it.

Source on TMDB