The Garden of the Finzi-Continis
1970
Directed by Vittorio de Sica
For some reason, I have been completely incapable of doing anything this week and it is getting to be quite the problem. Can I summon the energy to write this review? We shall see. Please, please. Don't call me a hero.
In late 1930s Italy, a wealthy Jewish family hosts tennis games at their estate, since recent anti-Semitic laws prohibit Jews from entering tennis clubs. One of the family friends, Giorgio, is in love with Micol, whose father owns the estate. Their very awkward kiss is pictured above. Sometimes Micol seems really interested in Giorgio and other times...well...she makes that face.
Not much happens in this film and you kind of can guess the ending as soon as the it starts. However, I kind of loved that about this movie. There is a shadow hanging over this film the entire time and I found that pretty fascinating. We always tend to idealize the past and this is a somewhat extreme example of this. Definitely worth a watch.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
Won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
The strange - indeed rather worrying - thing about this one is that I found it.. harmless.
ReplyDeleteThat really must be the wrong word.
For a film set against the background of impending horror and threat.. it hardly seems to foreshadow that.
Perhaps that was the point.. WE - the modern audience- know what is coming.. but we have hindsight.
The protagonists don't know. Oh sure, they know that things get worse day by day.. but they are almost 'minor inconveniences' ...
OK, before someone jumps on me for that.. What I mean is that 'not being allowed to play at the tennis club' is not really going to ruin anyones life. Sure, it shows the poisoned thinking going on... And we can see what it will come to mean...
To return to my track..
I feel that is the drive..it warns that we should notice 'little' things and stop 'not being let into the tennis club' becoming something else..
That was not very well put .. sorry.
I thought that it was very well put! You sound like Giorgio's father when you talk about the tennis club haha. I definitely agree that the hindsight is what makes this film so disturbing.
DeleteThanks Amanda..I appreciate the thought that what I was wanting to say actually came over...
ReplyDeleteI liked this movie. It moved slowly but I think that was done on purpose.I think the film portrayed truths well. People were understandably upset about the changes and though a few could see what was coming, many did not understand.I don't think anyone could foresee the true horror ahead.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! It makes me want to see this film... When I am in the mood to be scared.
ReplyDeleteIt did move slowly but I am still glad that I saw it!
ReplyDeleteThis should not work but it does. Something about the mood and the cinematography just suck you in. The impending doom maybe.
ReplyDelete