la
vita e bella
(Life
is Beautiful)
An unforgettable fable that proves
love, family and imagination conquer all
Roberto
Benigni won Best Actor for his role as Guido Orefice in this film, and
it was well-deserved indeed.
Guido is a clumsy, yet quick-witted
waiter who pursues a schoolteacher’s, Dora (Nicoletta Braschi) love
and wins it; together they have a child, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini).
When Giouse is just a toddler, war comes along and Guido is transported
off to concentration camp, as he is Jewish, and with him go Giosue and
Dora.
Though separated from Dora, Guido
has Giosue with him and to make the stay less traumatic, he tells Giosue
that it is a holiday camp and that so long as he does certain things,
he will get points, and if they win, they will get a brand new tank.
There follows the story of Guido’s desperate struggle to keep his son
and wife alive.
This is quite an incredible film,
and an object lesson to any film-makers on how to make an emotional
and funny film without the sugary sickly sweetness that we get so constantly
attached to the ubiquitous “romantic comedy”. There are some absolutely
classic comic moments and lines, as well as scenes that bring lumps
to the throat and a moistness to the eye.
Benigni is simply amazing as Guido-
sharp, adept and utterly likeable, a most welcome trait for a leading
man to possess. His manic energy leaps from the screen at you,
and is only tempered on it by a fine peformance from Braschi as his
wife. The young Giorgio Cantarini is also credible and steady
as Giosue.
In short, everyone should watch
this film, subtitles or not, and I know many people won’t because of
them. But you should! It’s great! And a refreshingly honest
and well-crafted piece of cinema- not your average stuff at all.DJY
STORYLINE:
86%
ACTING: 92%
SPECIAL EFFECTS: n/a
CINEMATOGRAPHY: 94%
Overall:
93%
BEST
QUOTE: Guido: You can lose
all your points for any one of three things. One: If you cry. Two: If
you ask to see your mother. Three: If you're hungry and ask for a snack!
Forget it!
Main
Cast List
Roberto Benigni .... Guido
Orefice
Nicoletta Braschi .... Dora
Giustino Durano .... Guido's
uncle
Giuliana Lojodice .... School
principal
Sergio Bini Bustric .... Ferruccio
Papini
Amerigo Fontani .... Rodolfo
Pietro De Silva .... Bartolomeo
Francesco Guzzo .... Vittorino
Raffaella Lebboroni .... Elena
Giorgio Cantarini .... Giosué
Orefice
Marisa Paredes .... Madre
di Dora
Horst Buchholz .... Dr.
Lessing
Claudio Alfonsi .... Amico
Rodolfo
Gil Baroni .... Prefect
For
further information click here.
