"Life is Beautiful" and the film is better
"Life Is Beautiful"/"La Vita è Bella"
Overall Rating: *****
The year before last was a heck of a year if you like good films. Never mind "Titanic;" I thought it was good, but way over-hyped. "Good Will Hunting," "Contact," and "Seven Years in Tibet" were better; on a technical par with "Titanic," but more interesting. I thought "Gattaca," a very well made science-fiction film that questions what impact genetic engineering will have on our lives, was easily the best film of that year. Of course, I didn't know "Life Is Beautiful" was being shown in Italy.
Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni) is the type of man who can laugh at anything. If he weren't, he might not be able to survive--for he's Jewish and lives in fascist Italy. His jolly attitude helps him woo Dora (Nicoletta Braschi) away from the bureaucrat she's engaged to (the man who denied him a permit to open a bookstore, no less). The question ultimately comes down to whether his happy demeanor is enough to carry him, Dora, and their young son Joshua (Giorgio Cantarini) through the horrors of World War II.
"Life Is Beautiful" is wonderfully written. When it tries to be funny, it is hilarious. In one very pointed scene, Guido, hoping to find someone who opposes the fascists, quietly asks another man what his politics are--before the question even registers in the man's head, he addresses his children by name: Benito and Adolpho. Still, not everything works against Guido; the scene where he finally wins over Dora is absolutely perfect. All this comedy works very much in the film's favor. I have no qualms about saying "Life Is Beautiful" is better than "Schindler's List;" and it boils down to the comedy. Guido's clownish nature makes it even harder to watch what happens to him in the concentration camp--but by the same token. it gives him a defiant air that's very satisfying, and helps relieve the oppressiveness of the totalitarian state that looms over everyone in the film.
Just watching the film, you can tell that it was a labor of love for the actors. Two stand out in my mind: the first is Giorgio Cantarini, who plays Joshua. Though he's a little old for the very early scenes, he carries off the later scenes beautifully--it's really hard to believe so young a child can act so effectively. Roberto Benigni, however, is the true creative genius who pulls the film together. In addition to his masterful work co-writing and directing "Life is Beautiful," he also stars in it; he won my heart within his first minute on screen.
If "Life Is Beautiful" has a weakness, it's the translation. There were several places where the subtitles seemed a great deal shorter than the spoken lines--and one where I thought I caught a name that didn't make it into the subtitle. Despite this problem, the subtitles are preferable to a dubbing. Beyond the traditional arguments regarding the value of hearing the original actors--which I'd say apply more to "Life Is Beautiful" than any other foreign film I've seen--there would be a thorny translation problem with the fact that some minor characters speak English or German--languages not understood by the characters they're addressing; it would become confusing if the other characters spoke English instead of Italian--as would happen if the film were dubbed.
The PG-13 rating seems strong for "Life is Beautiful." The main basis is the strong thematic content relating to the holocaust. The worst violence is all off screen--in a way, it's more jarring than most films' depictions on screen; the big exception is a scene involving a stack of corpses. I didn't catch any nudity or coarse language--though I don't speak Italian, so the latter may have been lost in translation (but I doubt it). The real problem for children is they'll probably will lose patience with the subtitles. That's a shame, since all else being equal, I'd say the film would be a good family film: the film's moving depiction of some of the worst events in history, and the depiction of Guido and Dora's great--even heroic--love for each other and their son, both weigh heavily in its favor.
Still, calling it a family film doesn't do "Life Is Beautiful" justice. One often thinks of family films as bland. "Life is Beautiful" will make you laugh plenty, cry some, and think. It's uplifting, charming, and creative. I honestly can't think of a word against it.
Title: "Life Is Beautiful"/"La Vita è Bella"
Release date: 1997 (Italy)/1998 (USA)
MPAA rating: PG-13
Overall rating: *****
Aprox. run time: 116 min.
Director: Roberto Benigni
Writers: Vincenzo Cerami, Roberto Benigni
Stars: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini
Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/7045/VitaBela.htm
Added to blog site: 7/28/09
Overall Rating: *****
The year before last was a heck of a year if you like good films. Never mind "Titanic;" I thought it was good, but way over-hyped. "Good Will Hunting," "Contact," and "Seven Years in Tibet" were better; on a technical par with "Titanic," but more interesting. I thought "Gattaca," a very well made science-fiction film that questions what impact genetic engineering will have on our lives, was easily the best film of that year. Of course, I didn't know "Life Is Beautiful" was being shown in Italy.
Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni) is the type of man who can laugh at anything. If he weren't, he might not be able to survive--for he's Jewish and lives in fascist Italy. His jolly attitude helps him woo Dora (Nicoletta Braschi) away from the bureaucrat she's engaged to (the man who denied him a permit to open a bookstore, no less). The question ultimately comes down to whether his happy demeanor is enough to carry him, Dora, and their young son Joshua (Giorgio Cantarini) through the horrors of World War II.
"Life Is Beautiful" is wonderfully written. When it tries to be funny, it is hilarious. In one very pointed scene, Guido, hoping to find someone who opposes the fascists, quietly asks another man what his politics are--before the question even registers in the man's head, he addresses his children by name: Benito and Adolpho. Still, not everything works against Guido; the scene where he finally wins over Dora is absolutely perfect. All this comedy works very much in the film's favor. I have no qualms about saying "Life Is Beautiful" is better than "Schindler's List;" and it boils down to the comedy. Guido's clownish nature makes it even harder to watch what happens to him in the concentration camp--but by the same token. it gives him a defiant air that's very satisfying, and helps relieve the oppressiveness of the totalitarian state that looms over everyone in the film.
Just watching the film, you can tell that it was a labor of love for the actors. Two stand out in my mind: the first is Giorgio Cantarini, who plays Joshua. Though he's a little old for the very early scenes, he carries off the later scenes beautifully--it's really hard to believe so young a child can act so effectively. Roberto Benigni, however, is the true creative genius who pulls the film together. In addition to his masterful work co-writing and directing "Life is Beautiful," he also stars in it; he won my heart within his first minute on screen.
If "Life Is Beautiful" has a weakness, it's the translation. There were several places where the subtitles seemed a great deal shorter than the spoken lines--and one where I thought I caught a name that didn't make it into the subtitle. Despite this problem, the subtitles are preferable to a dubbing. Beyond the traditional arguments regarding the value of hearing the original actors--which I'd say apply more to "Life Is Beautiful" than any other foreign film I've seen--there would be a thorny translation problem with the fact that some minor characters speak English or German--languages not understood by the characters they're addressing; it would become confusing if the other characters spoke English instead of Italian--as would happen if the film were dubbed.
The PG-13 rating seems strong for "Life is Beautiful." The main basis is the strong thematic content relating to the holocaust. The worst violence is all off screen--in a way, it's more jarring than most films' depictions on screen; the big exception is a scene involving a stack of corpses. I didn't catch any nudity or coarse language--though I don't speak Italian, so the latter may have been lost in translation (but I doubt it). The real problem for children is they'll probably will lose patience with the subtitles. That's a shame, since all else being equal, I'd say the film would be a good family film: the film's moving depiction of some of the worst events in history, and the depiction of Guido and Dora's great--even heroic--love for each other and their son, both weigh heavily in its favor.
Still, calling it a family film doesn't do "Life Is Beautiful" justice. One often thinks of family films as bland. "Life is Beautiful" will make you laugh plenty, cry some, and think. It's uplifting, charming, and creative. I honestly can't think of a word against it.
Title: "Life Is Beautiful"/"La Vita è Bella"
Release date: 1997 (Italy)/1998 (USA)
MPAA rating: PG-13
Overall rating: *****
Aprox. run time: 116 min.
Director: Roberto Benigni
Writers: Vincenzo Cerami, Roberto Benigni
Stars: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini
Original URL: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Mansion/7045/VitaBela.htm
Added to blog site: 7/28/09
Labels: Movie review, ReviewsbyJohn
posted by John at 4/26/1999 04:54:00 PM
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