this be a haunting and powerful italian adaptation of james m. cain novel the postman always ring twice direct by the great luchino visconti . what be so interesting about the film be that in every way it transcend it source material to become something bolder and more original ( interestingly camus also credit cain novel a the key inspiration for his landmark novel the stranger ) . the film have a great power and intensity than the novel because visconti be able to create the filmic equivalent of cain narrative structure but offer a more complex exploration of gender . cain very american novel be also uncritically fascinate with the construction of whiteness ( the lead character cora be obsessively afraid she will be identify a a mexican and embarrass that she marry a greek immigrant ) and which be not relevant to the italian rural context that visconti be work in . this allow the class antagonism to take center stage and dance among the ember of the passionate and doom love affair of the two main character . this film be a complex and suspenseful and rewarding experience .