Film critics have in the past and continue to hold Journey to Italy in high esteem. A. O. Scott in his 2013 Review featured in the New York Times said of the movie:

“Some of us will never tire of those soirees, with their black-tied gloom and elegant suffering, and will therefore relish the beauty and melancholy of this voyage, along with its touristic snapshots and heart-tugging Neapolitan songs.”

Scott obviously savored the film, as his article touches upon the American public’s feelings on the movie at the time of its release before throwing himself into the film itself, dissecting it carefully before putting it back together once again. Scott clearly respects the film’s director, Roberto Rossellini, making the inference on several occasions that nobody understood what a genius he was. Overall, Scott gives a quick, poetic overview of the film’s theme and meaning, describing more about the director in his article than the film itself. Peter Brunette’s book, ironically titled Roberto Rossellini, includes a chapter solely for the benefit of Journey to Italy. The 1996 publication affords a startling amount of insight into the possible meaning behind the film. Roberto Rossellini was heavily influenced by Italian Neorealism at the time. His films relied on the power of emotion to carry the audience through and safely to the other side. Many audiences at the time of its release did not understand his vision for the film, finding it unfinished and lacking the Hollywood happy ending crowds had grown accustomed to.

Journey to Italy reflects Italian Neorealism at a time when European audiences were unwilling to see it as such, and American audiences could not pull themselves out of the social life of the lead actress along with the director of the film enough to watch the movie for the sake of art instead of gossip. Although the director’s style was unusual, it did not outweigh the lack of planning behind the script. His choice to end each scene in the film so abruptly tells a story of its own. Somehow giving the film a feeling of reality, while simultaneously reminding the audience that they are watching a movie as they become increasingly irritated with the plot of the film. For example, this screenshot is taken from a scene close to the beginning of the film. Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders are sitting down to dinner with a group of friends, and just as we are seeing Sanders flirting with the woman seated next to him and we see Bergman’s reaction, the scene ends, although the scene feels entirely unfinished.  

Society created an insurmountable impediment for the film when it was released. Some could not overlook their own bias against Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman for having an affair and enjoy the movie, although Bergman appears to be the only one of the two that truly suffered from society’s scorn. While others in society believed that Rossellini was betraying the Italian Neorealism movement by casting big name actors for the film. Both Burnette and Scott’s writing reflects the feeling that audiences did not take the time to look beyond their own opinions of the people behind the scenes of the movie long enough to appreciate the message it sent. Burnette did not in fact do so, as throughout Journey to Italy the social issues in Italy were highlighted and often referenced. Journey to Italy was primarily conventional, though it did at times stray into unconventional territory.