THAT SPLENDID NOVEMBER

Italy, 1969, 98 minutes, Colour.
Gina Lollobrigida, Gabriele Ferzetti, André Lawrence, Paolo Turco, Margarita Lozano.
Directed by Mauro Bolognini.

That Splendid November is a minor film by Mauro Bolognini. He had been making films since the 50s and made some striking realistic films in the early 1960s including Il Bell Antonio. During the 1970s he made quite a number of period dramas including Metello and The Ferramonti Inheritance.

This film was set in Sicily (as was Il Bell Antonio) and focuses on a young man who becomes infatuated with his aunt, discovers that she is not faithful to him, becomes jealous and violent. His parents are free-thinking in their moral stances.

The film offers a picture of permissive life in Sicily and the implications of critique.

1. The emphasis of the title, November and autumn, splendid? for whom? Indication of themes and ironic treatment?

2. The impact of the film for an Italian audience, Sicilian? For a non-Italian audience? The potentially Italian themes of family, society, the bourgeosie, the structures of the bourgeosie and their corruption? The creation of atmosphere of this kind of world and the immersion of the audience in it?

3. The quality of the colour photography, interiors and exteriors? The portrait of Sicily from within and looked at from without? The portrait of Sicily old and new? The musical background and commentary?

4. How well did the film create its atmosphere of old and new? Styles of photography, angles, claustrophobic atmosphere of rooms, the camera in slow movement, the blend of slow movement and music?

5. The film's presentation of an old Sicily and its critique? The image of the woman? The atmosphere of the new Sicily? The old as a prison, enclosed, isolating within a large crib? The effect of this kind of prison on the characters?

6. The importance of the introduction of the family in the church with the cynical commentary? The audience being introduced to each character? The particular cynical point of view of the young man pointing them out? How accurate was he in his observations? Did it predispose the audience to judging the characters?

7. The two boys and their point of view? The younger generation and the possibility of change, escape? The older boy wanting to stay and yet finally leaving? Nino and his leaving but his final decision to stay? The atmosphere of corruption and being tainted by this corruption?

8. The moral tone of the film and its ambiguity? The tradition of the Catholic Church, the spoken morality and yet the immorality under the surface? The atmosphere of death? Sexuality, lust and love? Power? The interrelationships of the people pointed out in the church? Uncle Alfio and his shooting himself and his liaison? Marriages and their failure? Attitudes of freedom, hypocrisy? Was it inevitable that the younger generation would be caught up in this and repeat it?

9. The focus on Nino and his being challenged by this way of life? As a pleasant young man, hope for the future? The importance of the visualizing of his memories especially about his mother and his aunt? (The film often had aunt and mother together in profile, significance?), his age, position in the family, his relationship with Giulietta? With his young friend? His attitude towards his mother and the love and lack of love between them? His attitude towards the others, acknowledging their presence, ignoring them? The build-up to the arrival of Cettina? The importance of his infatuation, the fact that it had lasted so long, the memory of their being together in years gone by? His vision of her? Her arrival, his helping her unpack, his attitude towards her husband, to Sasa? The build-up of his jealousy? His sensual preoccupation with her? His moodiness and reflection, for example, lying on his bed? The growing jealousy and his watching her at the meal? His visit to her room, telling her, the kiss and the fulfilment? The irony of her not alloying him to kneel in the chapel next to her? The exhilaration of the swim? His continued watching, his jealousy at the opera? The build-up of the hunt with its overtones of violence and the symbolism of guns? His seeking her out and his brutalizing her? The release that this gave? The effect of this experience on him? How did it alter his choice of marrying? The irony of going to the old house with Giulietta and the sexuality? The basis of this marriage?

10. The film's focus and the audience's watching of Cettina? Gina Lollobrigida and her style and beauty? Her arrival and its drama, an eruption into the old ways of Sicily? The emphasis on her modernity in attitude, dress? Going for the ride in the sports car? With Sasa? Her explanations of her past, her not wanting to be tied by hypocrisy, her freedom, marriage, affairs? Nino attracted by her personality, her freedom? The bonds with Biagio and yet Biagio forcing her into a liaison with Sasa? The deceit of her relationship with Sasa? the car ride, telephone calls, the opera, the hunt, the old house? Her being punished by Nino? The irony of her presence at the wedding and the indications that the liaison could continue? The significance of this portrait of a modern Italian woman?

11. Biagio and the portrait of the Italian male? Successful in business, relationship with his partner, his attending to business and neglecting his wife, the bonds with his wife and yet being too tired for her? Almost pushing her into Sasa's arms? The irony of his final comments to Nino? The contrast with Sasa and his presence amongst the family, his car, his talk about his mother and business, presence at the opera?

12. The importance of the presentation of Nino's mother, Nino's flashbacks, the death of her husband, the affair? Her discussion with Cettina about dress and going to the opera? The two profiles an two aspects of the modern Italian woman?

13. How important was the detailed portraiture of the family: their sequences together as they sat inside, their presence in the chapel, at meals, apparent at the final wedding? The overall impression of the bonds and the style of this family life? Its good points, its disintegration and the reasons for it? Amalia and her madness, relationship with Alfio, with her daughter? Her odd behaviour and laughter etc.? Alfio and his injury and his double standards? The old mother with her retarded son? The uncle going to the maid's room each night?

14. The film's presentation and comment on family life, ritual, individuals trapped within this, Nino himself remaining there?

15. The insight into human nature, Italian society of the past, present and future?