Displaying items by tag: Alessandro Gassman

MY NAME IS VENDETTA/ IL MIO NOME E VENDETTA

Italy, 2022, 90 minutes, Colour.

Alessandro Gassman, Ginevra Francesconi, Alessio Pratico, Francesco Villano, Remo Girone.

Directed by Cosimo Gomez.

There have been many films about Italian families, criminal families, their exploits, members then moving out, changing their lives, and the quest for revenge, vendetta.

This is a straightforward drama, offering the audience exactly what its title indicates. And in 90 minutes.

Alessandro Gassman portrays a man from the South who has opted out of his job as a hitman for a family, changed his life, fallen in love married, a daughter, the daughter now 18. Scenes of family life, the daughter a champion ice hockey, his teaching her to drive, quiet times in the mountains, her asking him about the Italian South.

He has kept his cover. Forbids her to take a photo but she does, posted it on-line, the will family using technology, finding his identity, killing his wife and brother, the brother by mistake, and the threat to the daughter. The daughter is disillusioned with her father, but realises the photo was her fault and she is responsible, denounces her father, finds a boyfriend to rescue her but they are pursued and he is killed.

There are scenes with the head of the family, his business and son and his hedonistic life, surveillance, setting up the assassin to pursue the targets.

Ultimately, there is the vendetta, the death of the father but also the death of the central character, his bequeathing the knife to his daughter, her killing the son.

Straightforward action, vendetta accomplished.

1. The title, the tone, the themes? The fair and family gangs, crimes, vengeance?
2. Northern Italy, the towns, the mountain scenery, Milan, the city? The musical score?
3. Establishing the family, the ice hockey, Sofia playing, her parents, pride, her friendship with Hakim, Santo and his comments, at home, letting Sofia drive, through the water, the beauty of the mountainside, her asking him about his southern origins?
4. The issue of the photo, Sofia taking the photo, putting it on line, the family and discovering the truth, tracking down Santo? The crimes of the past, his being a hit man, changing, marrying, moving to the North, hiding, his new life, vengeance?
5. Santo and his character, the past, the new life, relationship with his wife and daughter, discovering his wife dead? Her brother dead by mistake? Sofia escaping? Finding her, her harsh reaction, intense, blaming him, the photo, blaming herself? Her despising of her father, the escape, the hiding, her contacting Hakim, his coming to get her, the thugs following, of the road, the shooting of Hakim, the attack on Sofia, her father rescuing her?
6. The scenes with the family, the old man and his vengeance, the code, his contacts and henchman, the surveillance expert, money? His relationship with his son, the son as a businessman, his private life with the women, the expert coming to see him, getting the information? Rudi as the hitman, killing the wife, killing the brother, the continued pursuit of Santo?
7. Coming to the city, the warehouse, the weapons, training Sofia with the knife? His being wounded, her going to the pharmacy? The surveillance, tracking them down?
8. The decisions, Santo, wounded, avenging his wife, love for his daughter, the confrontation with the criminals, the shootings in the office, with the head of the family, killing him?
9. Sofia, her decisions, the son approaching her, giving her the card, the sweet-talk? His plan to kill her? Her coming to the office, his surprise, the confrontation, her killing him?
10. Audience sympathies, reaction to vigilante action, vendettas?

NON C’E PIU RELIGIONE/ MESSY CHRISTMAS

Italy, 2016, 94 minutes, Colour.

Claudio Bisio, Alessandro Gassman, Angela Finocchiaro, Nabiha Akkari, Mehdi Meskar, Laura Adriani.

Directed by Luca Miniero.

This is a comedy for an Italian audience and those who are familiar with Italians and Italian style. It will also be of interest to Catholic audiences and their particular perspectives on the changes in the church after the Second Vatican Council. There is quite an amount of dialogue, especially with a visiting Bishop and his secretary, echoing some of Pope Francis’s comments about clergy being the servants of people, open-mindedness about issues, dialogue with Muslims…

The setting is an island off the coast of Italy, the year is 2015, the year of the increasing numbers of refugees coming from the Middle East into Europe as well as of migrants sailing from Libya to Italy. There is quite some hostility shown by the locals towards the incoming refugees, some bigotry, kebab-eaters…

The main issue is the traditional presentation of a Christmas pageant, important for status and for tourism. However, the child who has been the live baby in the crib is far too large. There are no births in the village. How will they cope? This leads to discussions between the Catholics and the Muslims, especially with the three central characters, the Mayor who grew up on the island and has now returned, a nun who is vigorously different, with whom he was infatuated when he was very young, and their mutual friend who has converted to Islam and has married a Muslim wife.

So, the social theme of the time, attitudes towards refugees, dialogue, getting to know them, accepting the cultural and religious differences.

The wife of the convert is pregnant and so a possible candidate for the baby in the crib – and a lot of discussions about how appropriate this is. However, the Mayor’s daughter has arrived back from London, pregnant, refusing to name who the father is, declaring she is now a Buddhist.

We can see where this might be leading, a local child for the crib, some collaboration between Catholics and Muslims, a young Muslim who has grown up on the island an obvious candidate to be the foster father of the new born child.

So, some audiences will be looking at it for the dialogue about refugees. Others will be looking at the Catholic dimensions and changes. Or all of the above.

1. The title? No more religion? Religion in the 21^st-century, religion in religious Italy, changes? Open-mindedness? The English title, Messy Christmas?
2. The island setting, the Mediterranean, isolation from the mainland? The traditions, the mayor and his election, local but returning, liked and not liked, the importance of the Christmas pageant, having a live baby, the traditions of Mary and Joseph, the Magi, comets and stars…?
3. The screenplay and its attitude towards religion, the Catholic Church? Respect for the traditions? But contemporary comments about changes in the church, Pope Francis and his urging clergy not to be clerical, the Bishop and his secretary and the quotes about being humble, the Bishop washing people’s feet, modifying the traditions, not being exact…? Tongue in cheek comments on the Catholic church and changing perspectives?
4. The mayor, his past, the friendship with Bilal, with Marta, memories of the kiss or not? The mayor and his daughter, living in England, the farewell? His coping with everybody in the village? The issue of the Nativity pageant, tradition, tourism, the Bishop?
5. The film produced in the year of huge migration from the Middle East to Europe? The continued boatloads arriving on the islands of Italy, from North Africa? The acceptance and non-acceptance of Muslims, kebab-eaters, prejudices and bigotry? The baker and the issues of the variety of bread, the customers, Muslim requirements about seeds…?
6. The issue of the baby, the boy growing up, too big, collapsing the crib? His mother playing Mary? The issue of the Magi, the baker as the comet/star, the musicians and players, issues of the animals, an ox?
7. The enjoyment of the to-ing and fro-ing about the baby, and the other characters? The role of Sister Marta, an unusual nun, dominating presence, with the veil, in the kitchen without the veil, variations on the veil later, the other nuns? Her influence, intervening? Traditions? The pressure on her to change, the gradual changes? And her past with the mayor and Bilal, the references, the discussions, finally the truth?
8. Bilal and his conversion to Islam, Italian, fake beard and its itching, his Muslim wife, her pregnancy, his wanting her to be Mary? Her dressing up, the group dancing to the English record? Clashes with the traditional Mary and who would be in the pageant? Bilal and his negotiations?
9. The greater acceptance of traditions, the gradual steps and accommodations? The priest, the church and the congregation, the mayor intervening with announcements? The Muslims wanting a prayer space, dividing the church, the Catholics facing the alter, the Muslims facing the other direction all, prayer, increasing loudness…?
10. The other members in the town, Ali, young, helpful, growing up in Italy? His friendship with the mayor’s daughter? Her returning pregnant, the mayor going through the list of who could be the father, with the help of Marta, her defying her father, not revealing the father, going into labour, everybody trying to help, Marta running, Ali helping, missing the ferry, on the boat, the procedure? The parallel with the mayor’s daughter, the irony of her name being Maddalena, the parallel to the conception and birth and the unknown father, the presumption of Ali, her declaring that she was Buddhist, the Asian face of the baby – and Ali to be the foster father of the child?
11. The Bishop, his arrival with the secretary, in regalia, the mayor upset, warding off, all the discussions about what the Bishop would do, changes in the church, clergy more humble, issues of money, issues of tolerance, not strict letters of laws…?
12. The friendship of the older three – a miracle sequence in the sea and their splashing each other?
13. Italian humour, perspectives on the history of the Italian church, the issues of migrants, Muslims, welcome or not, coexistence?

AN ALMOST ORDINARY SUMMER/ CROCE & DELIZIA

Italy, 2019, 100 minutes, Colour.

Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Alessandro Gassman, Jasmine Trinka, Filippo Scicchitano, Lunetta Savino, Anna Galiena.

Directed by Simone Godano

With such an English title, the audience anticipates how the summer will not be ordinary.

The film opens with the family joy, father and sons and daughter-in-law, pregnant, all driving off cheerfully to a summer holiday, finding the setup rather inadequate and complaining. The holiday centre is owned by a wealthy man who is celebrating his birthday and his daughters and various relations turning up.

So far, so expected.

However, there is a much more serious theme underlying the farcical aspects of the holiday. The owner of the mansion, Toni, veteran actor Fabrizio Bentivoglio, announces his intended marriage ceremony with Carlo, the father of the holidaying family, veteran actor Alexxandro Gassman.

Needless to say, the rest of the film is about the variety of reactions to this announcement, the film establishing the characters of the two older men, their meeting, the longtime partnership, each of them with family, but finding something in each other, especially the older man finding a genuine humanity in the widower, Carlo.

And, needless to say, there will be hostility to the wedding. It comes from Carlo’s son, Sandro, who reacts very badly, respecting his father but disagreeing with him. And there is hostility from Toni’s daughter, Penelope, Jasmine Trinka, who says that she campaigned and marched for gay marriage rights but does not want this for her father. She and Sandro team together to undermine the wedding.

What follows is holiday joy, family upsets, the arrival of Penelope’s mother, played by veteran Anna Galienay and, different attitudes, different understandings, an issue of Sandro’s younger brother, Diego, and whom he will stay with.

There are some very strong scenes, especially with Penelope’s panic attack and her being helped by Carlo.

There is some alienation, some reconciliation, and some happy sequences during the final credits of the wedding celebrations.

1. An Italian comedy with a serious theme? The history of the legislation on gay marriages? In Italy? 21^st-century perspective?
2. The title, irony, on holidays and summer, at the water, holiday homes, carnivals, picnics, activities…? The musical score?
3. The location, the coast, the beach, the holiday accommodation, the touch of the primitive, the mansion and the interiors?
4. The focus on the family, loud, all together in the car, travelling to the holiday, the music and song? Arrival, the primitive conditions, toilet and shower, complaints? Settling in?
5. The establishing of the family, Carlo as the patriarch, widower, his relationship with Sandro, Sandro’s wife, the younger brother, Diego, working class background?
6. The mansion, Toni as the patriarch, wealth, lifestyle, Olivia and her arriving, spoiled movie star, Penelope arriving late, bumping the car, self-assured, the presence of the hunt and her boyfriend, Toni’s birthday, the meal?
7. Toni and the tensions with his daughter’s, his never marrying, the long partnership, the other children, journeys to France, Olivia’s birth, arrival in Italy? Penny as his daughter, yet the tension between them?
8. The situation: Toni announcing the wedding, the reactions, Olivia, the aunt and the boyfriend tolerant? Penny, her comments about campaigning for gay marriage but her not wanting this for her father? Carlo, wanting to find the time to tell his family, hesitating, Toni and Carlo together, Sandra seeing them, his violent reaction?
9. Stances about the marriage, in three weeks? The two men explaining the background, Carlo and his meeting Toni at the hospital, talking, the meal together, kindred spirits? It is a completely different backgrounds, lifestyles? Carlo appreciating the older man? Toni admiring the inner depth of Carlo, sympathy and understanding?
10. Audience response to the announcement, for or against the marriage, siding with the couple, siding with Penelope and Sandro?
11. The comic situations, the serious situation? Penelope, her scheming, talking with Sandro, stopping the family leaving, wanting to undermine the relationship? The various stages, collaboration, developing and her problems, the advance on Sandro, his wife seeing it, the upset?
12. The meals, the picnics, the couple together, the ups and downs, the barbecue, Carlo dancing, everybody joining in except Sandro? The joy of everybody dancing?
13. The issue of Diego, young, to live with the couple? Sandro and his reaction? Sandro and his relationship with his wife, her pregnancy? Diego, the youngsters going to the carnival, their being lost, Carlo blaming Toni? The morning aftermath, explanations? Carlo and his decision that he would discuss the situation with Diego? Diego, young, the attraction to the young French girl, lovelorn, his father’s wise advice? Carlo coming to getting from Sandro, the going off together?
14. The arrival of Penelope’s mother, not a marriage, her work in fashion, the plot to undermine the wedding, yet her encounter with Carlo, sympathetic, change of heart? Penelope’s disappointment?
15. The confrontation, Sandra’s reaction, his wife’s reaction, Penelope’s humiliation, unable to breathe, the panic attack, Carlo and his sympathy, helping her to breathe, driving her, the frank talk, Penelope explaining her father’s ignoring of her?
16. Carlo, going away, fishing? Toni, wanting to find him? Penelope helping, Sandro on the boat, meeting on the boat (despite the crew calling out about packets), the reconciliation – all round?
17. The final credits, the ceremony, everybody joining in the celebration?
18. The status of gay marriage in Italian society with its religious traditions?