Alfred Hitchcock has been inspiring filmmakers and awing his fans for decades. He has inspired a wide variety of filmmakers over the years with his raw, relentless style. One of these particular ‘Hitchcokian’ films, ‘The Unknown Woman’ will be very nostalgic for movie fans. Utilizing the very tools Hitchcock became famous for, the filmmakers keep the watcher in complete suspense from start to finish, taking a great many twists and turns before arriving at the shocking conclusion. The Unknown Woman may or may not have received the attention that the film deserves, but it will remain a hit amongst fans of suspense and horror alike.

The Unknown Woman is a film about prostitution and slavery, and also hints upon the concept of greed. Starring Michele Placido, Claudia Gerini and Xenia Rappoport, the Unknown Woman was released in 2008 to the eager impatience of fans everywhere. Written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, ‘The Unknown Woman’ was recorded in Italian and features English subtitles.

The film begins as main character ‘Irene’ is shuffled out unto a stage wearing only undergarments, to audition with other prostitutes for a client that can only be seen as an eye peeping through a small hole. From then on, there are many flashbacks that show how Irene got into her current situation. She rents an apartment across the street from a small family and ends up replacing their maid after an ‘accident’ involving her falling down a flight of stairs. She appears to be on a special mission, although this is never revealed. The lack of explanation is the one thing which keeps this film from truly soaring.

While there are some plot holes that were never filled, Xenia Rappoport does an excellent job playing the mysterious Irene. She keeps viewers interested from start to finish with her character’s unpredictability. The Unknown Woman is certainly an interesting film and with all of its quirks, is very much worth watching.The hits keep comin’: “The Best Offer” from Giuseppe Tornatore