The American picture Scent of a Woman is not a remake in the true sense of the word. To a large extent it is an original work, borrowing from the eponymous caustic Italian comedy of 1974 only the plot outline, in which a blind captain seeks to fully enjoy one last week of life before committing suicide. Martin Brest submits an effective and well-paced drama, in which he pits the protagonist against a strong opponent, fleshing out both characters in detail. His Lt. Col. Slade is a lonely and traumatized man, and in contrast to the bit part given to the young naïf in Dino Risi’s comedy, his companion here is a student of pure character trying to solve a fundamental moral dilemma. What else can Slade do but help him navigate this test? And, with the young man’s help, he thereby attains inner regeneration. Thanks to Al Pacino’s acting chops (he earned a Best Actor Oscar for the role), not even Slade’s pathos-ridden plaint to a university disciplinary committee loses one iota of its impact.