David O'ConnellLife is Beautiful
September 2nd 2008 03:15
I have no idea why I’ve avoided this film for so long – maybe the histrionic adulation it received at awards time in its year or Roberto Benigni’s own effusive, madcap display at the Oscars. After 11 years though I’ve relented and can appreciate Life is Beautiful for what it is – a simplistic but powerful story of love, wrapped in the shape of a fairytale transforming into something else within a much grimmer context.
Benigni’s Guido Orefice is a character not far removed from the actor himself itself, it seems, a lovable extrovert who hardly stops talking to pause for breath! But he quickly wins us over with his untainted romantic spirit - and the heart of his beautiful “principessa”, Dora (real-life wife Nicoletta Braschi) who he fortuitously runs into on his first day in Rome, arriving from the country to live with his uncle.
His exploits to win her over from her fiancée, who he has an early run-in with at the bank he manages, are hilarious and it’s testament to Benigni’s skills that the shift from romantic fable to WW2 is a smooth one, the couple now happily devoted to one another and with a five year old son they cherish, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini).
But then they're rounded up with all the other Jewish families by the Germans and sent away to concentration camps where Guido assures his son that the whole ordeal is just a charade, a game in which they must accrue 1000 points to win a tank and an exit back to their old life.
Everything is creatively explained away as part of the process they need to undertake to “win” the ultimate prize and Benigni’s performance is heartbreaking at times as he suffers through the day with only his son’s innocence in mind and visions of his wife in his restless dreams at night. There are still funny moments too, especially when getting up before his fellow Italians early on in their internment to ‘translate’ the German camp edicts as rules of the game!
The film is quite simply shot, with no distinctive visual style or flair other than a flawless and poetic transition scene from the past to the present, but the story has enough value, both as light entertainment at first, and later, as a powerful statement of how much a father will sacrifice to protect the qualities no child’s life should ever have to lose before their time.
Benigni’s film never aims for social realism, to show the starkest horrors of concentration camps; instead the worst details are withheld, as if from children’s eyes, for much of the film is a reminder of the child’s perspective this man is protecting, all adversity explained away as part of a treacherous game, but one worth winning, so precious will be its rewards.
It can also be seen a tribute to the power of storytelling and its ability to distract us from the troubles of everyday life, to divert our minds enough to sooth and ease our distress.
It’a heartbreaking film in the end, portraying as it does a father’s quest to preserve his son’s innocence, and the lengths he’ll go to protect him under the direst circumstances, his love for both his child and wife boundless.
For the purity of Benigni’s vision alone the film can be appreciated and admired, even if its reputation may exceed its value as a work of cinema somewhat.
Benigni’s Guido Orefice is a character not far removed from the actor himself itself, it seems, a lovable extrovert who hardly stops talking to pause for breath! But he quickly wins us over with his untainted romantic spirit - and the heart of his beautiful “principessa”, Dora (real-life wife Nicoletta Braschi) who he fortuitously runs into on his first day in Rome, arriving from the country to live with his uncle.
His exploits to win her over from her fiancée, who he has an early run-in with at the bank he manages, are hilarious and it’s testament to Benigni’s skills that the shift from romantic fable to WW2 is a smooth one, the couple now happily devoted to one another and with a five year old son they cherish, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini).
But then they're rounded up with all the other Jewish families by the Germans and sent away to concentration camps where Guido assures his son that the whole ordeal is just a charade, a game in which they must accrue 1000 points to win a tank and an exit back to their old life.
Everything is creatively explained away as part of the process they need to undertake to “win” the ultimate prize and Benigni’s performance is heartbreaking at times as he suffers through the day with only his son’s innocence in mind and visions of his wife in his restless dreams at night. There are still funny moments too, especially when getting up before his fellow Italians early on in their internment to ‘translate’ the German camp edicts as rules of the game!
The film is quite simply shot, with no distinctive visual style or flair other than a flawless and poetic transition scene from the past to the present, but the story has enough value, both as light entertainment at first, and later, as a powerful statement of how much a father will sacrifice to protect the qualities no child’s life should ever have to lose before their time.
Dora and Guido's first roll in the hay!
Benigni’s film never aims for social realism, to show the starkest horrors of concentration camps; instead the worst details are withheld, as if from children’s eyes, for much of the film is a reminder of the child’s perspective this man is protecting, all adversity explained away as part of a treacherous game, but one worth winning, so precious will be its rewards.
It can also be seen a tribute to the power of storytelling and its ability to distract us from the troubles of everyday life, to divert our minds enough to sooth and ease our distress.
It’a heartbreaking film in the end, portraying as it does a father’s quest to preserve his son’s innocence, and the lengths he’ll go to protect him under the direst circumstances, his love for both his child and wife boundless.
For the purity of Benigni’s vision alone the film can be appreciated and admired, even if its reputation may exceed its value as a work of cinema somewhat.
Guido explains the rules of the 'game' to his son.
| 119 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Sara Dobson
Love Mate
Parents Precinct
The Travel Map
My Turn
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
Comment by What's Your Story?
What's Your Story?
So You're Getting Married
I get shivers just thinking about it.
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
You summed it up perfectly Cib - it lacks a little bit in style and complexity but there are plenty of other similar films which deal with the political and social ramifications in more depth, and this one provides a different, albeit more blatantly emotionally, slant, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
It's a briliant vehicle for Benigni and it's hard not to be moved by his performance, and by the heart of Guido.
Thankyou to Sara, Morgan, and What's Your Story too for sharing your opinions. I'm glad I've finally seen it after 11 years..........it's always good to hold one or two great films back from another decade for those rainy weekends!
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
SPOILER!
...that part where he plays the record for his wife?
.. did that also happen in the Shawshank Redemption?
Comment by Jason King
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I must be the only one that didn't enjoy this film. Sure it was well shot and technically proficient, but was just trying to hard to play the sentimentality card. Felt heavy handed and artificial so i was never invested in the characters.
The idea of a feel good holocaust film left me feeling dirty and underwhelmed plus most scenes were just to obvious once the tone was established.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I must be the only one that didn't enjoy this film. Sure it was well shot and technically proficient, but was just trying to hard to play the sentimentality card. Felt heavy handed and artificial so i was never invested in the characters.
The idea of a feel good holocaust film left me feeling dirty and underwhelmed plus most scenes were just to obvious once the tone was established.