Senso opens in the legendary La Finice opera house in Venice, circa 1866, with a performance of "Il Trovatore", which is appropriate as this film is truly operatic in scope. Director Luchino Visconti was, in addition to being one of the preeminent directors of the 20th century, one of the most respected directors of Opera in Italy. The film didn't really pull me in until the affair between Countess Livia, who supports the Italian faction that wants Vienna for its own, and Lt. Franz Mahler, who is a member of the Austrian occupation army, began. Suddenly the shocking technicolor and the beautiful sets and costumes all came together in a powerful, sensual theme that carried me through the film (is there anything sexier that a woman, nude, covered in a bed sheet?). Of course, being a kind of opera, it is a tragedy, but a tragedy well worth diving in to. It is also a compelling peek into a world of manners and conduct that no longer exists. That alone makes Senso worth viewing.Visconti's "The Leopard" is better known and loved, but I believe that Senso is the better film, and a true classic by this legendary director. Very highly recommended.